Three Men and a Li'l Lady
by MissLindaLee
Summary: There's a new girl in Hazzard County and she's a heartbreaker. Both Dukes/Numb3rs Universe and Dukes of Hazzard Universe.
1. Chapter 1

TITLE: Three Men and a Li'l Lady, Chapter 1

AUTHOR: Jackie

RATING: PG

GENRE: Drama/Comedy

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Okay, this is my first time at a DoH, so be gentle. This stemmed from a dream I actually had, so I had to write this. Usual disclaimers apply - Kelly is my own creation, so she's mine. ENJOY!

_A bright orange Dodge Charger comes tearing around the corner near the main square in Hazzard County; townsfolk crossing the street hurry to get out of the way_

**Balladeer: From a certain point of view, especially from the outside looking in, one might consider this to be an unusual occurrence. But this is Hazzard County, where nothing is to be taken at face value.**

Cooter was hunched over his latest salvage as he whistled along with the country song playing on his beat up radio. The garage door was open, and a warm summer breeze blew softly into the garage. Sweat beaded on the mechanic's forehead as he worked on the engine, and he stopped briefly to wipe the beads away with the back of his hand before going back to work.

After a few minutes Cooter heard the familiar sound of 'Dixie' being tooted on a car horn, and he grinned and looked up as an orange Dodge Charger came speeding around the corner, racing down the street like there was no tomorrow; the car pulled into its usual spot near the garage, and Bo and Luke climbed out of the open windows.

"Hey, Cooter!" Bo shouted as he and his cousin walked over.

"Hey, Bo," Cooter said. "Luke. How's it goin'?"

"Just gave Rosco the slip," Luke replied. "We cut across Miller's Bend and slipped past him in a cloud of dust off Clark Road; that should give us a few minutes." He eyed the old wreck Cooter was working on. "So, new pet project?"

"Yeah, I wanna get this fixed up, and sell it," Cooter replied, pushing his ratty cap up a little. "Money's getting tight, and people don't need things towed much nowadays."

The Duke boys felt a little sympathetic for their friend. Things were tough for everyone in Hazzard County, no part because Boss Hogg had recently found a way to increase some of the residential taxes due to some legal loophole; everyone had suffered, and no one could come up with any way to get Hogg to change his mind.

"You know, if you want, we can always get Rosco to roll his car," Bo suggested. "That way, you can get somethin' for towin' his car in and fixin' it."

"Thanks, Bo," Cooter replied, "but that's okay." He glanced around. "I'm not sure if it's even worth keepin' this place open anymore; maybe it's time I found a new line of work."

"Like what?" Bo asked. "Cooter, you're the only mechanic in town; if you close up, where are people gonna go to get their cars fixed?"

"Yeah, and what about Boss Hogg?" Luke asked. "You close shop, and he'll prolly horn in on it, jackin' up prices to where people can't even afford to get minor repairs."

Cooter opened his mouth to say something, but he was interrupted by a police siren. Everyone looked over as a patrol car pulled up, and Rosco got out. He hurried up to the trio, and pulled his gun out.

"Alright," he said, "you Duke boys are under arrest."

"But we didn't do nuthin'," Luke said.

"You were goin' two miles over the speed limit," Rosco said, "and that is a direct violation of the law, not to mention the fact that you went the wrong way on a one way street during evadin' arrest." He gave his hallmark laugh. "Oh, yeah, I got you boys now."

"Excuse me?"

Everyone looked over as a woman came walking into the garage. She wore a black skirt suit with matching heels, her brown hair in a tight bun, and a pair of thick black glasses framed her face. The most prominent feature about her was what she was carrying: a baby girl wearing a pink frilly dress, matching socks, little white shoes, and a small mess of brown curls with pink barrettes on the sides, right above the ears. She squirmed in the woman's arms, blowing spit bubbles, gurgling, and staring around with big green eyes, as the woman tried to hold both her and a small stack of stapled papers.

"Hi," the woman said, "I'm Mindy Anderson from Social Services in Capitol City." She eyed Rosco cautiously. "Um, is this a bad time?"

"No, ma'am," Luke said, "the sheriff here was just demonstrating some techniques he learned recently." He smirked at the sheriff. "Ain't that right, Rosco?"

Rosco stopped short. "Uh," he said slowly. He eyed his gun, then he quickly holstered it. "Uh, yeah, yeah, new techniques." He glanced at the woman. "I'm Rosco P. Coltrane, ma'am, and I'm the sheriff around these parts. Now, what can I do for you and your lovely daughter?" He grinned and tickled the baby girl's tummy, and the little pink bundle proceeded to burp in Rosco's face. He pulled back. "Ooh, that was naughty, li'l lady."

"Actually, I'm looking for Cooter Davenport," Mindy replied, shifting the baby in her arms. "And this little cutie here" she smiled down at the baby briefly "is not my daughter."

"I'm Cooter Davenport," the dirty mechanic smiled.

Mindy eyed the greasy dirty Cooter, raising an eyebrow. "**You're** Cooter Davenport?"

"Well, yes, ma'am," Cooter grinned. "What can I do for you?"

Mindy sighed. "Mr. Davenport, how would you like to be a father?"

"Whoa, now hold on a second, ma'am," Cooter said, "I hardly know you."

Bo grinned. "Come on, now, Cooter, give the lady a chance; best offer you've had in almost two years."

Mindy wasn't amused, and she contemplated taking the small baby and bolting out the door, but her gut was telling her that this was all in good fun, and nothing for her to be worried about.

"Bo, hush," Luke admonished his cousin, curious about why Mindy was there – and about her question. "Miss Anderson, what's this all about? Why did you ask Cooter about whether or not he wanted to be a father?"

Mindy handed the pink-clad baby to Cooter. "Mr. Daveport, I'd like to introduce you to your daughter, Kelly."

**Balladeer: From this point of view, it would seem like the stuff is about ready to hit the fan . . . well, you know what? I think maybe you're right.**

(End of Chapter 1)


	2. Chpater 2

- - - - 

**Balladeer: Now, I'm sure that there are quite a few questions on your mind at this very moment . . . I got a few myself - like what kind of woman would be that interested in Cooter - but let's just see what happens before we decide to butt in, okay?**

Everyone stared at Mindy like she was a June bug dressed as Santy Claus, dead silent. The only sound in the garage was from the baby as she gurgled softly, staring up at Cooter.

"Uh , I think there's been a mistake," Cooter said after a few minutes, a nervous expression on his face as he stared at the baby. He tried to hand Kelly back to Mindy, but Mindy refused. "This ain't my kid."

"Mr. Davenport, did you know a Jennifer Howell?" Mindy asked.

"Well, yeah," Cooter replied. "She came through these parts almost" a stunned expression suddenly crossed his face as he paled "two . . . years . . . ago." He glanced uneasily down at the baby in his hands.

**Balladeer: Oh, so that's who . . . .**

Bo grinned. "Cooter, you sly dog, you," he said.

"Now, wait just a second," Cooter said, "this ain't right. She was only here for one night."

"Mr. Davenport, all it takes is 'one night,'" Mindy said wryly. She held up the papers. "Now, I need you to sign these forms, officially releasing Kelly into your care."

"Why me?" Cooter asked. "Even if I'm the father, why can't Jenny take care of her?"

A sad expression crossed Mindy's face. "Because she died a few days ago," she replied.

Cooter stopped, furrowing his eyebrows. "Jenny's dead?" he asked. "How?"

"Car accident," Mindy replied. "She had finished her shift and was on her way to pick up Kelly when a car ran a red light and hit hers. She was killed instantly, and they haven't been able to find the person responsible." She removed a sealed envelope from the papers and held it out to Cooter. "This was given to me by Jenny's neighbor with the explicit instruction that it be given to Kelly's father."

"How do you even know I am the father?" Cooter asked, trying not to drop Kelly as she started wriggling in his hands. "I mean, honestly, isn't there the slightest chance that it could be another guy?"

"Mr. Davenport," Mindy replied, "your name was listed on Kelly's birth certificate as her father. Now, I don't know all the ins and outs, but there was a letter in Jenny's handwriting that said you were father of her daughter." She held out the papers. "Also, the Georgia state courts have appointed you as Kelly's legal next of kin, and now you are responsible for her."

"Don't I get a say in this at all?" Cooter asked. His mind was whirling from being bombarded with all this new information.

"I think he got his say almost two years ago," Luke whispered softly to Bo. Bo snickered, and Cooter shot him a glare.

"You can contact the courts and file for an injunction," Mindy replied. "You'll need to fill out a form, giving reason why you feel you're unsuitable to be Kelly's legal guardian, and then arrangements will be made for Kelly to be placed with a foster family." She handed the papers, envelope, and a pen to Cooter, who tried to balance Kelly and the papers and envelope. "For the time being Kelly is your responsibility, and I need you to sign those forms." Cooter looked like he was about to drop everything, when Luke reached over and gently extracted Kelly from Cooter.

"There," Luke said, smiling. "Bo and me can keep Kelly occupied while you take care of those papers." He and Bo started fussing over the baby, tickling her, making cute little noises, grinning at her.

"Wait a minute," Rosco said. "You Duke boys are still under arrest."

"Rosco, normally we'd be all for these fun and games," Bo said. "But we got other things we need to be worrin' about. And as you can see, we're babysittin' for Cooter." He got in front of Luke and Kelly, folding his arms. "Now, you're not going to arrest us while we're babysittin', are ya?"

Rosco frowned a little, wagging a finger. "Bo, don't start with me," he said. "I got half a mind to restrain you – baby or no baby."

"Uh, think we got that covered here, Rosco," Luke said, his voice suddenly nasally. Bo tried to turn around, but he felt something holding onto the back of his shirt. Rosco took the opportunity to peek around Bo – and he saw Kelly with a mouthful of Bo's yellow shirt . . . and a handful of Luke's nose. She looked around at everyone staring at her like it was nothing new to her – then she went back to gumming Bo's shirt and squeezing Luke's nose, twisting so that her back was to Luke, but she showed no sign of letting go of his nose.

Despite everything, Rosco couldn't help but burst out laughing at the sight of the Duke boys being restrained by a little baby. "Oh, now that's a beautiful sight," he said. "Only girl in tha world that could hold both the Duke boys down." He laughed briefly. "Maybe I should fire Enos and Cletus and deputize her instead." He chuckled. "Little badge, little hat . . . she could ride right next to me in the patrol car." He briefly laughed at the thought, then he shook his head. "I gotta tell Boss about this."

"You ain't gonna to arrest us?" Bo asked, a little confused. Luke frowned and kicked him in the back of the leg. "Ow!"

"Not today, Bo," Rosco said. "I think you boys are gettin' exactly what you deserve." Still laughing, he left the garage.

Minda smiled as she watched the two cousins. "I think she likes you boys."

"Actually, I think she likes my nose," Luke replied, trying not to wince; the baby had a strong grip.

"And my shirt," Bo added. He felt the slobber spot as Kelly continued gumming his shirt. "Uh, don't she have somethin' else to put in her mouth besides my shirt?"

Mindy chuckled. "I have her things in the car. I'll get them while Mr. Davenport signs the papers." She left the garage, and Bo and Luke looked over at Cooter as he stared dumbly at the papers in his hands.

"Cooter?" Luke asked. Nothing. "Cooter!" Cooter looked over. "You gonna sign the papers?"

"Oh, oh . . . yeah," Cooter replied distractedly. He used the top of the car he had been working on as a writing platform, and he began signing the forms slowly, as if he were moving through water. After a few minutes Mindy returned with a large pink diaper bag, another pink bag, and a brown baby seat.

"Okay, here are her things," she said, putting the stuff on a nearby workbench. She rummaged around in one of the bags and pulled out a small, stuffed orange giraffe with blue and yellow spots all over it. She walked over to Kelly and held it out for her. The baby spotted the brightly-colored toy and immediately grabbed for it, letting go of the two cousins, and stuffing one stuffed leg into her mouth, settling back into Luke's arms as she gummed the toy in content. "There we go." As Luke and Bo checked themselves over Mindy walked over to Cooter as he finished signing the papers.

"Thank you, Mr. Davenport," she said as he handed her the papers and pen. "I know this is a bit of a shock, and I didn't mean to drop this in your lap like this. I also know you may not think you're ready to be a father, but just give it a chance before you make up your mind; you just might surprise yourself." She nodded and waved to Kelly before leaving the garage. Luke and Bo walked over to Cooter as he leaned against the car, looking stunned as he looked at the sealed envelope in his hands, his name written on the front in Jenny's handwriting.

"So, what's it say?" Bo asked.

Cooter slowly opened the letter and pulled out a folded piece of paper; he unfolded it. "'Cooter, if you're reading this, then it means that I'm dead,'' he read softly. "'That also means that you know about our daughter, Kelly Angelica Howell. I never intended for you to know about her until I could be there to tell you myself, but apparently that's not what Fate has in store for us. I don't regret that night we spent together in Hazzard underneath the stars, because as you can see something good came out of it. I also know that you have a good heart and will provide a safe home for Kelly and give her all the love I can't. Thank you for everything, Cooter. Jenny.'" He became really quiet after reading the letter.

"Sorry about Jenny, Cooter," Bo said honestly. "She was real nice."

"Thanks, Bo," Cooter replied as he folded up the letter and put it back in the envelope. He sighed. "Now what?"

Kelly had become bored with chewing on her giraffe, and she threw it as hard as her little arm could; it hit Bo and he managed to catch it before it fell to the ground, then she started whimpering and squirming. She didn't want to be held by Luke anymore; she was fascinated with the grease-covered man standing nearby, and she held out her hands, whining softly.

"I think someone wants her daddy," Luke said. He carefully handed Kelly back over to Cooter, who gingerly took the baby. He held her under her arms and at arm's length, like she was a bomb, unsure of what to do. He glanced up at Bo and Luke, looking for any help, but they just grinned.

"Awww, that looks mighty nice," Bo replied, smiling. "Makes me wish I had a camera."

Cooter glanced down at Kelly, and she simply blew spit bubbles as she smiled up at the mechanic.

Balladeer: You know what? That girl's gonna end up stealin' a lot of hearts; she's off to a good start . . . she's already stolen mine.

(End of Chapter 2)


	3. Chapter 3

- - - - 

Enos sat in a chair in Boss Hogg's office in the courthouse as Boss circled him, berating him for another screwup – at least, that's what Boss said it was. Enos knew he hadn't done anything wrong, but he knew his place – and Boss was his boss, so he stayed quiet, letting Boss yell at him. Suddenly, Rosco burst in.

"Boss, you're never gonna believe this," he said.

"Rosco, you dipstick!" Boss shouted. "Can't ya see I'm in the middle of yelling at Enos?"

"Enos can wait," Rosco replied. "I got big news."

"What is it?" Boss asked as he walked over to his desk and sat down, rubbing his head, only half listening to the sheriff.

"Someone just captured the Duke boys - and is holding them in Cooter's garage," Rosco answered.

Boss looked up. "And just who is that?" he asked. "And why ain't you over there getting' them?"

"Well, because she looked like she can handle them on her own," Rosco answered.

"'She?'" Enos asked.

"Yeah, new girl in town," Rosco replied. "Purty little thing."

Boss sighed and rolled his eyes. "Well, don't just stand there gettin' all muddy on me! Who is she? What's she look like?"

"Well," Rosco said, "she's real plump-like, with a thin mess'a brown curls."

"Hmm . . . Rosco, that don't exactly sound like them Duke boys' type," Enos said.

"You say she's plump?" Boss asked.

Rosco nodded, grinning. "Hu-g-g-g-g, yeah, Boss, she's real pudgy, and she's short."

Boss went to work on some papers on his desk. "How short?"

"Oh, I say about a foot, foot an' a half," Rosco replied.

Boss nodded, then he suddenly looked up, eyes wide. "Say what?"

"That's a mighty short person, sheriff," Enos said.

"Well, babies usually are, dipstick," Rosco replied.

"Baby?" Boss asked.

"Yessiree," Rosco answered. "Cooter's baby." Both Enos and Boss stared at Rosco, eyes wide.

"Cooter's a daddy?" Enos asked. He slowly smiled. "Awww, that's mighty nice."

"Enos, what are you doin' here?" Boss asked, glaring at the deputy.

"You were yellin' at me, sir," Enos replied.

"Well, I'm done," Boss said. "Now get!" Enos beat a hasty retreat, leaving Rosco and Boss alone. "Now, Rosco, you sure it was Cooter's baby?"

"Social Service lady said so," Rosco replied. "She had documentation to back up her claim."

Boss snorted. "Now, who in the world would like Cooter that much?"

**Balladeer: Didn't we already answer that question?**

Rosco shrugged. "Girl named Jenny Howell, two years ago. She died a few days ago, and now Cooter's the baby's legal guardian."

"Poor kid," Boss replied wryly. "Imagine, being related to that grease monkey."

"Well, it could be worse," Rosco replied. "She could be related to you, Boss." Boss shot him a glare. "Uh, uh, I mean . . . you know . . . uh . . . ." He glanced at the wall clock. "Oh, will you look at the time? I got patrol duty." He hurried out of the office, closing the door behind him.

"Dipstick," Boss muttered. He contemplated the new news. "Cooter . . . a daddy . . . ." He shook his head as he went back to his paperwork.

**Balladeer: I've been around here long enough to know that I never liked it when Boss got that tone in his voice . . . meant he was usually up to somethin'.**

- -

Bo and Luke watched as Cooter sat in a nearby chair. The mechanic had finally mustered up the courage to hold Kelly closer to him, but she had started wriggling again . . . and she was trying to crawl up Cooter like a monkey climbs a tree.

"Come on, Kelly," Cooter said as gently as he could, trying to keep her in his arms. "Ya can't be crawlin' around everywhere." She whimpered softly, then she grabbed the brim of his hat, pulling it down over his face; he pulled his hat back up. "What, ya think that's funny?"

"I think she wants to play peek-a-boo," Luke replied, smiling.

Cooter looked uneasily at Kelly, and he sighed. He pulled his hat back down over his face, then he pulled it back up. Kelly laughed and clapped her hands, and Cooter gave an uneasy smile. "Ya like that, Kelly?" he asked. He did it again, and got the same results with the baby; the mechanic started feeling a little bit better about the whole situation.

"Hello?" Everyone looked over and saw Enos standing just outside the garage. "May I come in?"

"Sure," Bo replied. "What's up, Enos?"

"Well, Sheriff Rosco said that Cooter's a daddy," the deputy answered. "Just had to see for myself if this was true." He spotted Cooter with Kelly in his lap, and he smiled and walked over, getting down on her level. Kelly turned to face the newcomer. "Oh, she is a purty little thing." He watched as Kelly reached over and grabbed the brim of his hat, pulling it half off her head. Enos caught it before it fell to the ground, and he held it in his hands. Kelly tried reaching for it, and Cooter smiled. "You like my hat, sweetie?" He turned his hat over so the hole was facing the baby. Kelly was fascinated, staring at it for a few moments, then she leaned over and stuck her face in it. A second later the men heard her muffled babbles, like she was trying to talk with it. Enos chuckled.

"So, whatcha callin' her?" he asked.

"Kelly," Cooter replied.

Enos grew somber. "I'm sorry about what happened to her mother, Cooter. If ya ever need anything, just let me know, okay?"

Cooter's face suddenly contorted as he sniffed the air slightly. "Oh, my lord," he said, glancing at Kelly. Enos, Bo, and Luke suddenly smelled it as well, and Kelly pulled her face away from the hat, smiling proudly.

"Whew, I know that smell," Bo said, covering his nose.

Cooter's face paled as he held Kelly at arm's length again. "Uh, what do I do?" he asked.

"You gotta change her diaper, Coot," Luke replied.

"I can't change a diaper, Luke," Cooter said.

"You can change oil," Bo replied. "I'm sure changin' a diaper ain't that different. Remove drain pan, flush, replace drain pan, fill. Not that hard."

"Well, fine, then, since yer so all fired eager ta help, you get ta be in charge of the drain pain," Cooter said as he got to his feet.

"She's your kid," Bo said, backing up, holding his hands up defensively. "You do it."

"And how am I supposed to do it when I don't know anything about how to do it?" Cooter asked, frustrated. Kelly, frightened by the sudden sharpness in the voices around her, burst into tears, wailing at the top of her little lungs. "Awww, now look, she's cryin.'" A look of panic crossed his face.

Enos felt sorry for Cooter, and he remembered all the times he babysat for the women in town while they ran their daily errands. "Here, let me try something," he said. He got to his feet and put his hat on the workbench; he held out his arms to Cooter. "May I, Cooter?" Cooter hesitated, then he handed Kelly over. "Thank you." Enos cradled Kelly in his arms as he looked around. "Where's her diaper bag?" Bo and Luke looked around and spotted the pink diaper bag.

"Here," Bo said as he grabbed the bag and handed it to Enos.

"Thank you, Bo," Enos said. He walked over to another workbench in the back, talking softly to Kelly. Cooter and the Duke boys cautiously watched as Enos went about changing her diaper – and amazed that the baby's crying was slowly subsiding – as he talked to her. In a few minutes, she was cleaned up and smiling once again. Enos deposited the dirty diaper and used wipes in a trashcan, then he brought Kelly back over. "All cleaned and dried." He handed Kelly back to the mechanic. "Well, I best get goin' before Sheriff Rosco comes and yells at me." He grabbed his hat, then he leaned over close to Kelly's face. "Now, you be good for your daddy, okay? And don't be too hard on him. He's kinda new at this." Kelly responded by giggling. Enos smiled and put his hat on. "Yep, she's definitely yours, Cooter; she's got your smile. I'll catch you boys later." He left the garage.

Cooter glanced down at Kelly, and he was relieved that she had stopped crying – and smelled a lot better – but part of him felt worthless that he hadn't been able to take care of something so simple himself. He sighed as he sat down on a stool. "Can't even change one little diaper," he said softly.

"Now, in all fairness, Cooter," Bo said, hoping he could cheer Cooter up, "baby diapers are known to be hazardous to your health."

"Yeah, and Enos is more equipped to handle hazardous disasters," Luke added.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Cooter replied glumly, still looking down in the dumps.

"Hey, I got an idea," Bo said. "Why don't we go see Uncle Jesse and Daisy at the farm? It'll be good for all of us, and it'll give Kelly a chance to get some fresh air. Besides, if they find out about Kelly from someone else, we'll never hear the end of it."

Cooter didn't say anything, but he nodded and he got to his feet, holding Kelly, and headed for his truck. The boys watched him get in and proceed to fasten Kelly next to him in the cab.

"Uh, Cooter, you forgettin' somethin'?" Bo asked.

Cooter looked up and saw Bo holding up the baby carseat and Luke holding up the pink diaper bags. Cooter then glanced down and saw Kelly sitting next to him, strapped in snugly, bouncing a little as she blew more spit bubbles. The mechanic groaned and leaned back as he closed his eyes; he was going to get her killed before the day was over.

"Oh, don't worry about it none," Bo said. "I got her." He walked around to the other side of the truck, opened the passenger door, and unbuckled Kelly from the seat, then he put her in the car seat. He expertly buckled her in, then he put the car seat beside Cooter, with Kelly facing forward. "There, now she can see where you're drivin', Cooter."

"You sure that's the way it's supposed to go?" Luke asked. "And don't ya need to tie it down or something? Especially with the way Cooter drives." He looked around the garage, and smiled when his eyes fell on exactly what he was looking for; he grabbed it and held it up – a brand new double roll of industrial strength duct tape. "Use this." He tossed it to Bo, who proceeded to use half of the roll to strap the car seat to the truck seat.

**Balladeer: Duct tape and a baby . . . now, even I know those are two things that don't belong together.**

"There," Bo said, proud of his handiwork. "That should do it. Now, let's get this show on the road."

"Don't forget these," Luke said. He tossed the diaper bags to his cousin, who put them in the truck next to the car seat., then he shut the door, leaning in through the open window. "Just follow us, Cooter."

"And go slow," Luke added. "We don't need to be speedin' with a baby in transport." The cousins headed outside to the General Lee as Cooter started his truck.

"Man, they weren't kidding about raisin' a kid bein' expensive," he asked. He glanced at Kelly and her car seat and sighed. "You know how many rolls of duct tape I'm gonna go through a week if I have to take you everywhere with me?" Kelly responded by making a few baby sounds, then gurgling. Cooter gave a small smile. "I know it ain't your fault." He turned and backed out of the driveway after the General Lee pulled away.

- -

The sun shone down on the Duke farm, and Daisy was humming her favorite Dolly Parton song as she pulled the clean laundry off the lines and put them in her basket; Jesse was in the barn, tending to the chickens. The young woman heard the sound of a couple of vehicles approaching, and she turned. She smiled when she saw the General and Cooter's truck approaching. She finished getting the wash and put her basket down, walking over as her cousins got out.

"Where's Jesse?" Luke asked.

"With the chickens," Daisy replied. She glanced at Cooter's truck and saw his solemn expression. "What's with Cooter? He looks like he swallowed a nightcrawler."

"That's why we need to see Uncle Jesse," Bo said.

"Uncle Jesse!" Daisy called over her shoulder. A few moments later Jesse came lumbering out of the barn, a bucket of feed in his hands. He walked over to the group.

"What's the yellin' for?" Jesse asked.

"Not sure," Daisy replied. "Somethin's up with Cooter, but Bo and Luke won't say what without you here, and Cooter's lookin' like he's got weevils in his long johns."

Jesse glanced at Cooter, then his boys, then he sighed. "What did you boys do now?" he asked.

"We did nothin'," Luke said. "Honest."

"And this time we got the proof," Bo added.

"Show me," Jesse replied. He followed his nephews to Cooter's truck and peeked through the open passenger window as Bo and Luke stood nearby. Jesse spotted the car seat and its contents, and he was a little surprised. "Well, what do we have here?"

"It's a baby," Bo replied.

"I know what she is," Jesse said, frowning slightly. Kelly craned her head over toward Jesse, staring at the newcomer with big green eyes. Jesse smiled. "Well, hello there, sugar."

"Her name's Kelly," Luke said.

"Who's is she?" Jesse asked warily, wondering if she had been abandoned, but thinking - since they'd brought her back to the farm, and they all looked sorta scared – that one of them was the father.

"Cooter's," Bo and Luke answered at the same time.

Jesse nodded, then he stopped short, eyes growing wide. He pulled back, hitting his head on the window frame; he winced and rubbed it as he stood straighter and looked at his boys. "Cooter's?" he asked. He stuck his head back in and stared at Cooter, who just stared straight ahead, his face turning a bright red. Jesse let it sink in, then he closed his eyes and groaned softly. "It was bound to happen."

"What?" Bo asked.

"I knew some day someone was going to come here with a baby, claiming it belonged to one a you two," Jesse said, his voice laced with frustration and anger. "I just never thought you boys would come here with a baby – and it turns out to be his." He stuck a hand through the window and pointed a finger at Cooter, who blushed deeper. Jesse sighed and looked down at Kelly – and he finally saw how her car seat was being restrained. "Get that duct tape off right now and get that baby into the house." He pointed a finger at Cooter. "You got some explainin' to do, Cooter." He turned and headed into the house, and the trio just watched him disappear into the house.

"So, what was that about?" Daisy asked as she ventured over. Bo opened the side door and Daisy looked in. Her eyes went wide and she smiled when she saw the baby. "Oh, she's adorable!"

"She's Cooter's," Bo's replied. Daisy raised an eyebrow and looked at Cooter as he sank into his seat.

"Well, you heard Uncle Jesse," Daisy said. "I wouldn't dillydally, either." She headed back to her basket and picked it up, heading into the house. The Duke boys and Cooter went about getting the tape off the baby seat, and Cooter grabbed the seat, while Bo and Luke took charge of the bags. The trio headed into the house, where Jesse was waiting by the kitchen table, looking meaner than a rattlesnake about to strike.

"Did you forget somethin'?" Jesse asked.

"We got the bags," Bo said, holding up his bag and seeing Luke had the other one.

"And I got the seat this time," Cooter replied, holding up the baby seat.

"And who got the baby?" Jesse asked.

Cooter looked into the seat and saw it was empty. Eyes wide, he dropped the baby seat onto the table and hurried out of the house, returning a few moments later with Kelly in his hands. "Here she is," he said, blushing.

"How long have you had her in your care?" Jesse asked.

"About thirty minutes?" Cooter asked.

Jesse simply nodded. "Well, you're doin' better than I thought you would." He pointed to an empty chair. "Take a seat, Cooter." Still holding Kelly, the mechanic sat down, and Kelly began squirming, babbling softly as she looked around for something to put in her mouth, her knuckles in her mouth. "Now, why don't you fill me in on what happened?"

"Now, that's a little personal, Jesse," Cooter said, "and there's a li'l baby here; won't be right to talk about that stuff in front of her." Jesse glared at him. "Oh, you mean the other stuff."

"Yes, I mean the other stuff," Jesse replied. "Now, for starters, who's the mother?"

"Her name was Jennifer Howell," Cooter answered as Daisy came in from the living room, finished with her laundry. She took a seat next to Cooter and stared at Kelly with a big smile on her face; Kelly stared right back at her, and then she smiled, holding out her slobbery fist for Daisy.

"Hey, there, cutie," Daisy smiled. She glanced at Cooter. "May I hold her?" Cooter didn't protest as he handed Kelly over to Daisy. The young woman held the baby in her arms, rocking her, talking softly to her. Kelly giggled and babbled back; she liked Daisy.

Jesse leaned forward, his knuckles resting on the table, frowning at Cooter. "Cooter," he said, "what to you mean by 'was?'"

"Jenny's dead," Cooter replied.

"Dead?" Jesse asked, his anger slowly subsiding as he sat down. "What happened?"

"Car accident," Cooter answered. "All I know is that I'm the person listed as Kelly's father . . . even the courts say she's my responsibility now."

Jesse leaned back in his chair. "So, how did you meet her?" he asked.

**Balladeer: Now, don't any of you go anywhere . . . I have a feelin' we're in for an interestin' story.**

(End of Chapter 3)


	4. Chapter 4

- - - -

January, 1981

The wind was blowing in from the north, and the locals knew that a winter storm was on its way – and that's why men and women piled in at the Boar's Nest, drinking their beer in preparation for the cold weather to come. The jukebox played a Loretta Lynn song as the Duke boys and Cooter were at their usual table, their drinks in front of them, and a chess board on the table. The pieces were set up, and Cooter – having recently been taught to play by Daisy – was doing his best to teach Bo and Luke.

"Now, the rook is this here castle-lookin' piece," Cooter said, holding up a black rook piece. "And it only moves up and down, or side to side. It can't go diagonal or anythin' else."

Bo picked up one of the other pieces, looking at it oddly. "Cooter, I don't know why you learnt how to play this game," he said. "There's no action."

"Well, not until you snag a girl, huh, Cooter?" Luke asked, nudging the mechanic with an elbow and winking. He turned to his cousin. "Women like smart guys, Bo."

"Which would explain why you two haven't hooked up with any lately," Cooter added with a twinkle in his eyes.

Bo laughed out loud, then he stopped, realizing that the insult was directed at him; he frowned at Cooter. "Hey!"

Cooter grinned. "To be honest, I just wanted to learn how to play," he said. "It's kinda fun." He took the piece from Bo and put it back in its place. "Now, getting' back to what each piece does, the pawn -" He stopped short when he realized Bo and Luke weren't even paying attention; they were looking at the entrance. Cooter sighed and turned, and his heart leapt into his throat.

Standing in the entrance, dressed in a sharp black t-shirt with a matching suede jacket over it, tight faded jeans, and matching leather cowboy boots was a young woman. Her copper red hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail, and her green eyes looked around; a small purse hung from her shoulder.

"Hot dang, she's cute," Luke said.

"I saw her first," Bo replied quickly as he got to his feet and hurried over to her.

"Hey, no fair," Luke said as he followed suit, leaving Cooter staring dumbfounded at the woman, his mouth slightly open. "Cooter, have fun playing with your pieces." Luke made his way over to his cousin as he was introducing himself to the woman.

"I'm Bo Duke, ma'am," the blond said, giving his best grin.

"And I'm his more sophisticated cousin, Luke," Luke spoke up, butting in front of Bo; he didn't have to see Bo's face to know he was scowling at him.

"Hi," the woman said. "I'm Jennifer Howell."

"You new to these parts?" Bo asked, shifting around Luke.

"Actually, I'm just passing through," Jennifer replied. "I was told this is a good resting point to get something to drink."

"Reckon you heard right," Bo said, grinning. "Would you like me to buy you a drink and maybe a dance?"

"Bo, stop hittin' on the woman," Luke pretended to reprimand his cousin to look better. He smiled. "Sorry about my cousin. Can I buy you a drink to make up for his lewd behavior?"

"No thank you," Jennifer replied politely. She looked around the room and spotted the chess board on the table – and Cooter staring at her. Smiling, she walked over, leaving Bo and Luke standing open-mouthed.

"Now, how do you like that?" Bo asked, clearly insulted by the brush off.

"It's all your fault," Luke replied.

"My fault?" Bo asked.

"Yeah, you jumped on her like a fox jumps a rabbit," Luke answered. He saw Jennifer approaching Cooter's table. "And now you got her goin' to Cooter."

"Hi," Jennifer said to Cooter. "I hope you don't think I'm rude, but would you mind if I sat here?"

"Uh," Cooter said slowly, his cheeks turning a light shade of pink. "Uh, no, no, not at all, ma'am."

Jennifer took the empty seat across from Cooter and stared at the board. "You like to play chess?"

"Uh, yeah," Cooter replied, trying to make sure his voice didn't crack as he removed his hat.

"It's one of my favorite games," Jennifer replied. "I've got a few hours to kill. Want to play?"

Cooter chuckled shyly. "Well, you see, ma'am," he said, "I just learned how to play last week myself. Afraid I ain't that good."

"We're not betting any money or anything are we?" Jennifer asked. Smiling, Cooter shook his head. "Well, then, it's all fun and games." She held out her hand. "I'm Jennifer Howell."

"Cooter Davenport, ma'am," Cooter replied, shaking the offered hand; it was nice and soft, and Cooter had to fight the urge to keep holding it.

"Cooter, huh?" Jennifer asked. "That a nickname?"

"It's what everyone calls me, ma'am," Cooter replied.

"Well, Cooter it is, then," Jennifer said. "And you don't have to call me ma'am; you can call me Jenny."

"Yes, ma'am," Cooter replied. "Uh, Jenny." Jenny smiled sweetly, and pretty soon the two of them began their game. Bo and Luke stood where Jennifer had left them, wondering how in the world Cooter ended up with that girl – and they didn't. Daisy came over with an empty tray, smiling.

"Looks like she hung you two out to dry," Daisy said.

"No thanks to Bo here," Luke replied.

"I was doin' just fine until you showed up," Bo retorted. "Now she's with ol' Cooter."

"Somethin' tells me she doesn't mind one bit," Daisy said before heading over to the table. "Hey, Cooter. Can I get you and your lady friend anythin'?"

"Uh, I'm fine, Daisy," Cooter said. He looked at Jennifer. "Jenny?"

"Can I have something non-alcoholic?" Jennifer asked.

"Sure thin'," Daisy answered. "Oh, and if you need anythin', let me know, okay?" Jennifer nodded, and Daisy left; the two went back to their game. As they played, they talked – well, Jennifer did most of the talking; Cooter just listened, half his mind on the game, and half his mind focused on that sweet voice of the copper-haired angel sitting across the table from him.

- - - -

Two hours (and three chess games and the same number of sodas) later, Cooter escorted Jennifer out of the Boar's Nest and watched her as she climbed into her car. She smiled and waved to Cooter, and he waved back, grinning like a kid in a candy store. After the car disappeared the mechanic sighed with content and turned around. Bo and Luke were standing there, arms folded, heads tilted.

"What?" Cooter asked.

"How the heck did you end up with that girl?" Bo asked, still insulted from being rejected. 

"Well, technically, he didn't end up with her," Luke replied. "But he did get her, and we didn't."

"Well, maybe Luke was right about women likin' smarter men," Cooter said smugly. "Now, if you boys'll excuse me, I gotta get back to the garage." He headed for his truck, and Bo and Luke watched him get in and drive off.

"Cooter, smarter'n us?" Bo asked. "I don't buy it."

"Yeah, it's obvious that Miss Howell doesn't have very good vision," Luke replied. "Want a drink, cuz?" Bo nodded, and the two headed back into the Boar's Nest.

- - - -

Cooter drove down the dirt road back to town, humming 'She'll Be Coming Round the Mountain,' when he spotted a familiar car up ahead on the side of the road, the hood up. As he slowed down he saw Jenny bent over the engine, getting a very nice view of her backside, and he slammed on his brakes, skittering to a halt in front of her car. Jenny looked up as Cooter got out and came over, and she smiled.

"Well, I wasn't expecting to see you anytime soon," she said.

"Everythin' okay?" Cooter asked.

"Not really," Jennifer replied. "Engine conked out on me, and I haven't been able to get it started."

"Why don't I have a look at it?" Cooter asked, bending over the engine.

"Oh, thank you so much," Jenny looked relieved. "I appreciate it, Cooter."

Cooter smiled, blushing a little, as he examined the engine. It only took a few minutes to figure out the problem. "Well, the good news is that it ain't that bad."

"And the bad news?" Jennifer asked.

"It's still gonna take some time to fix it," Cooter replied, apologetically. "At least three hours."

Jennifer sighed. "Well, I don't have much of a choice, I guess."

"Look, why don't I give you a lift to my garage?" Cooter suggested. "Beats waitin' out here in the middle of nowhere."

As upset as she was, Jennifer smiled. "Sure. I guess I can be a few hours late." She grabbed her purse from the car, and then Cooter helped her into the passenger side of his truck before walking to the back and hooking her car to the truck.

- - - - 

Back at the garage Cooter spent the next three hours working on Jenny's car while she watched nearby. Normally, Cooter kept the radio on his favorite station, but he and Jennifer passed the time by talking. It was nearly seven by the time Cooter finished, and he was ready to send Jennifer on her way.

"So, how much do I owe you?" Jennifer asked.

"Don't worry about it," Cooter answered.

"Cooter, I don't want any special treatment," Jennifer replied.

"And I don't want your money, either," Cooter said, smiling. He glanced outside as the wind started picking up. "Ooh, it's comin' in fast."

"What is?" Jennifer asked.

"Winter storm," Cooter answered. "Uh, I hate to say this, but you're gonna be stuck here for a while."

"Why?" Jennifer asked.

"These storms move in fast and furious like a car with a new 426 hemi engine," Cooter explained. "Not fun to drive in, believe you me. It'd be best if you stayed here until it passes."

"Are there any hotels in town?" Jennifer asked.

"One, but it's all booked up," Cooter replied. He looked embarrassed as he rubbed the back of his neck. "To be honest, there really ain't no place around here to stay . . . ."

"I don't need a lot of room, Cooter," Jennifer said. "Just a couch would be fine by me."

Cooter thought about that, then he shrugged. "Well, I got a couch at my place, but you really don't wanna stay there."

"Why not?" Jennifer asked.

"Because my place is . . . well, not really a place for a lady," Cooter answered. He looked embarrassed. "It's not very tidy."

Jennifer smiled. "Cooter, I'm sure it's not that bad."

"You haven't been to my place," Cooter replied. He could see she wasn't changing her mind. "But, if you think you're brave enough, let me lock up for the night and we can get goin'." Jennifer nodded and grabbed her purse as Cooter started cleaning up.

- - - -

Cooter sighed with content; he didn't know that rice, beans, and sausage with a homemade gravy of flour and milk tasted so well together – or could be so filling. He patted his stomach as Jennifer cleaned the kitchen (her insistence – along with making dinner in exchange for repairing her car). After she was finished, she came and joined him on the couch.

"Jenny, I don't know much about cookin'," Cooter said, "but that was some good stuff."

Jennifer smiled, blushing a little. "Thank you." She stared out the living room window as the wind howled outside and rain and ice pelted; thunder and lightning flashed, sending shivers down her spine. "It's really blowing around out there, huh?"

"It's nothin' we haven't seen around these parts," Cooter replied. "We always get one of these every few years." The lights flickered, and then suddenly they were plunged into darkness. "And that happens everytime we get a storm." He waited until his eyes adjusted to the darkness, then he glanced over at Jennifer. Even in just the flashes of light from the storm he could see she was apprehensive. "You okay, Jenny?"

"Just not a big fan of storms," Jenny replied nervously. A big flash of lightning lit up the sky, followed a split second later by a tremendous clap that shook the entire rickety two-bedroom house. Jenny yelped and buried her head into Cooter's chest, even before she realized what she was doing.

Cooter was stunned, and he didn't move or say anything, then Jenny slowly lifted her head up, and the two found themselves staring into each other's eyes. Cooter's heart skipped a beat as he drank in the warmth of her green eyes; he had never felt that way about any girl in his life.

"I'm sorry," Jennifer whispered. "I didn't mean -"

Cooter put a finger over her lips. "Don't apologize, Jenny," he whispered back. "You got nothin' to be sorry about." He chuckled nervously. "If I tell you somethin' will you promise not to laugh?"

"Of course," Jennifer replied.

"I have been smitten with you since I first saw you today," Cooter said. "I know that sounds silly."

"Only about as silly as me being smitten with you since I saw you with that chess board," Jennifer replied, smiling a little.

Cooter blushed, smiling a little. "So, uh, what do we do?" he asked.

Jennifer put her hands on Cooter's cheeks and leaned over, gently kissing him. Cooter was a little surprised, but he made no move to pull back as Jennifer wrapped her arms around his neck. The kiss deepened, and soon Cooter found himself pulling her to him as the storm raged on outside.

(End of Chapter 4) 


	5. Chapter 5

- - - - 

_Present_

"And . . . ?" Bo asked.

"And do I really gotta spell it out?" Cooter asked. "One thing led to another, and . . . ." His cheeks turned red.

"Well, yeah, we like details," Bo replied, grinning. Jesse reached over and smacked the back of his nephew's head. "Ow!"

"You hush," Jesse warned. He turned to Cooter. "When did she leave?"

"The following morning, after the storm," Cooter replied. "After we had breakfast – she fixed it."

"So you parted on good terms?" Jesse asked.

"Yeah."

"And why didn't you ever try to contact her afterwards?" Jesse asked.

"I didn't expect to see her again," Cooter answered. "I didn't know she was pregnant. Honest."

"And if ya did?" Jesse asked.

"Well, I would'a married her," Cooter answered. "That would have been the right thing to do, after all."

"Actually, the right thing to do would have been not to do anythin' at all in the first place, if you get my drift," Jesse said. "But since we can't go back in time, you gotta figger out what you're gonna do about her." Everyone looked over at Daisy and saw that Kelly was sound asleep in her arms.

"Guess it must'a been the sound of your voice, Cooter," Daisy said softly. "She fell right asleep." Kelly yawned a little and gurgled, then she shifted slightly before settling back in, all the time keeping her eyes closed.

**Balladeer: Aww.**

"So, what do we do now?" Luke asked.

"Well, I can tell you if you wake her up, I'll kill you," Daisy replied as she slowly got to her feet. "I'm gonna go put her on my bed and keep an eye on her." She left the kitchen.

"Cooter, what are you going to do now?" Jesse asked.

"I don't know," Cooter replied. "This was sprung on me at the last moment."

"Well, I'll tell you this," Jesse said. "That girl is your daughter . . . and you've been asked to take care of her, by her mother, so apparently the mother must'a seen something in you that made her believe you were capable of handling this."

"But what do I know about bein' a father?" Cooter asked.

"No one does their first time around," Jesse replied. "Cooter, you helped bring that little baby into his world, and now you have a responsibility to her, whether you like it or not. Now, we'll all be here to help you out if you need it, but you can't take the easy way out, because that ain't fair to Kelly. Ya understand?" Cooter nodded. "Good, now there are a few pointers about raisin' a baby that we need to discuss."

"Such as?" Cooter asked.

"For starters, you don't go usin' duct tape on the car seat," Jesse said.

"Ya don't?" Cooter asked. Jesse shook his head. "Then how do you keep it in place?"

"Danged if I know," Jesse replied. "I'm sure there's someway to keep it hunkered down. Now, secondly, and this is real important: make sure you don't forget the baby every time you go somewhere – that includes leavin' the truck." Cooter blushed. "Everything else after that is real easy."

"Even changin' her diaper?" Cooter asked.

"Cooter, we'll help you learn how to do it," Jesse answered, "but when it comes to the actual changin' - yer on yer own for that one."

"Thanks," Cooter replied wryly. He sighed and rubbed his head, overwhelmed.

Jesse smiled a little, remembering the time he had become the legal guardian of his niece and nephews. He put a hand on Cooter's shoulder. "Cooter, it's scary to be responsible for another human bein'; believe me, I know that all too well . . . but I have a feelin' you're gonna do just fine."

"How?" Cooter asked. "I'm not rich, I barely make enough to scrape by as it is . . . how am I gonna provide a home for me and Kelly?"

"Because you got a lot of love in your heart," Jesse said. "And if you got that, everythin' else will fall into place. You'll see." He smiled. "Now, we got some work to do; there's a lot you need to know about how to care for a baby." He got up and headed for the living room. Cooter hesitated, then he followed after him.

**Balladeer: Good old Jesse; makes you wonder where everyone would be without his words of wisdom.**

- -

The Dukes stayed true to their word and helped teach Cooter how to take care of a baby. They were able to figure out about the bottles and the diapers just fine, but they had to call in reinforcements (from one of the town mothers) for the car seat It was a very trying – and educational – experience for everyone involved, and by the time the sun was setting Cooter seemed to have a handle on the basics of baby care.

Jesse and Daisy were in the kitchen preparing dinner when the mechanic trudged through the kitchen door, his eyes barely opened, as he walked over to the table – set with plates and forks and napkins - and sat down. Kelly was in his arms, squirming and gurgling. Bo and Luke came in behind them, and they looked just as tired as Cooter.

"So, how was the walk?" Daisy asked. The boys had spent two hours taking Kelly on a walk around the farm – by letting her walk as they held her hands.

"My back hurts," Bo said as he slowly sat down.

"My feet hurt," Luke added.

"I'm hungry," Cooter said.

"Meepo," Kelly put in her two cents.

"Well, here's dinner," Jesse said as and Daisy brought over four plates, each filled with fried chicken, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, and biscuits. They sat down, and after saying grace, the adults started dishing out food and eating.

"What about Kelly?" Daisy asked, seeing that the little baby was eyeing the food on Cooter's plate with awe. "She looks hungry."

"Well, I can heat up one of her bottles," Cooter said.

"Actually, I think it might be safe to let her have some of this," Jesse replied. "How old is she?"

"Well, the papers I signed today say she was born on September 13 last year," Cooter replied. "That would make her about" he slowly and silently counted on his fingers "ten months old, I guess."

"Well, how about lettin' her try some of your food?" Jesse suggested. "She looks like she might like it, and she's old enough to start eatin' it."

Cooter hesitated, then he glanced down at Kelly as she stared at his plate. He brought the plate closer to see what she would do; she promptly reached over – and grabbed a handful of mashed potatoes. She stared at her hand, then she smashed it into her face and began to slowly eat the potatoes off her hand. When she removed her hand, most of her face was covered in mashed potatoes, and she grinned.

"Looks like she got more on her face than in her mouth," Bo grinned. Kelly reached down and grabbed another handful of mashed potatoes, then she looked up and suddenly wanted her father's nose. Forgetting the potatoes in her hand, she reached up and grabbed Cooter's nose, getting mashed potatoes on his face. Bo laughed out loud. "Oh, that's funny!"

Kelly giggled as she clapped her hands at Bo's laugh, spattering potatoes all over the other adults: Luke on the shirt, Jesse's beard, Daisy's hair, and Bo got a glop in his eye. Suddenly, the blond Duke wasn't laughing anymore.

"Hey!" he said, wiping the potatoes off. Kelly suddenly attacked Cooter's plate with both hands, grabbing food and flinging it everywhere. "Cooter, she's makin' a mess!"

"Bo, she's a baby," Daisy said as she ducked some flying macaroni. "She's just learnin' how to eat properly."

"Besides," Luke added, smirking, "the way you eat, I'm surprised you're makin' such a fuss." Bo responded by throwing a biscuit at his cousin.

"Hey!" Jesse said. "No throwin' food."

"But, Uncle Jesse, Kelly's doin' it," Bo protested.

"She's a little baby," Jesse replied. "She don't know better. You, on the other hand, do." A glop of mashed potatoes hit him in the face; the room fell silent as Jesse carefully wiped the glop off his face, then he looked at Kelly. The baby stared up at him, her eyes big and wide, her face and clothes and hair covered in mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese. She grinned at him, then she took some macaroni and cheese off the table and held it up to Cooter. "Uh?"

The entire world disappeared for Cooter that instant, and he reflexively chuckled and leaned over, opening his mouth; Kelly stuck the pasta in her father's mouth, and he chewed it up. "Thank you," he said softly. Kelly just stared up at him for a second, then leaned over and grabbed his nose with her mouth. She didn't bite, but she gummed it pretty hard. "Ow, ow, ow, no, no, Kelly." He gently extracted himself from her mouth and stared at the room. Mashed potatoes and macaroni on the walls, floor, furniture . . . and the adults and Kelly. He grimaced as everyone started wiping themselves off. "Sorry, Jesse."

"Oh, it's fine, Cooter," Jesse said. "Why don't you take Kelly and go get her cleaned up?"

"What about the kitchen?" Cooter asked.

"Don't you pay any mind to that," Jesse answered. "Now, Daisy, why don't you help Cooter set up a bath for Kelly?"

"Sure thing, Uncle Jesse," Daisy said. "Come on, Cooter." She got to her feet, and Cooter got up, trying to keep a food-covered Kelly from slipping through his arms; he followed her out of the kitchen.

"Remind me to bring a drop cloth next time we eat with Kelly," Bo muttered. Luke smirked, before a glop of mashed potatoes fell from the ceiling and landed right on his head. Bo laughed out loud.

"Alright, hush, you two!" Jesse said. The boys became quiet. "Now, go get the mop and rags and buckets; we got some cleanin' to do."

"We?" Bo asked. "Why can't Cooter clean up the mess? His kid made it."

"Because he's takin' care of his kid," Jesse replied. "And we said we was gonna help him, and that's what we're gonna do." The boys knew he was right, and they got up from the table to go get the cleaning supplies.

- -

Kelly sat in the Duke's metal tub in the bathroom, splashing in a few inches of warm soapy water, getting everything around her wet – including Daisy and Cooter as they knelt beside the tub; her dirty clothes were soaking in the sink. The two adults chuckled as they tried to keep water away from their eyes, and Kelly grinned and continued to splash, knowing somehow she had an audience that liked what she was doing.

"So, now what?" Cooter asked.

"Well, you already washed her hair and evertyhin'," Daisy said. "Now, it's time to get her all dried up and dressed." She reached for a towel and handed it to Cooter. "Here ya go." Cooter carefully lifted Kelly out of the tub and, with the aid of Daisy, wrapped her in the oversized towel. "I'm goin' to go check on the others." She left a towel-wrapped Kelly in Cooter's arms as she headed out of the bathroom. Cooter simply smiled and shook his head.

"Ya know," he said to Kelly as he brought her over to where Daisy had laid out her night clothes – powder blue bunny feet pajamas, "I think Miss Daisy left to give us some alone time. Ya think so?"

"Mapapa," Kelly replied, her voice a little softer than it was earlier, but she still squirmed a little.

"Yeah, I think so too," Cooter replied. He reflexively diapered and dressed her, then he grinned when he realized what he had accomplished. "Well, whaddya know? I did it." He saw Kelly's eyes droop as she gave a little yawn. "Aw, you gettin' tired, sweetie?" The little baby shook her head as she rubbed her eyes, trying to look alert. The mechanic smiled as he picked her up. Kelly yawned again and suddenly leaned over, snuggling into Cooter's shoulder. He just stood there for a minute, not moving, then just as suddenly as she'd leaned in, Kelly pulled out, eyes wide and alert, almost as if she was trying to pretend the snuggling didn't happen. But Cooter knew it had, and he knew she was getting sleepy. "Come on, pumpkin." He headed out of the bathroom to the living room; he glanced at the kitchen and saw the Dukes in there, cleaning and talking among themselves. Cooter decided not to disturb them, so he walked over to the couch and sat down, yawning himself.

"So, now what?" Cooter asked softly, yawning again. He saw Kelly yawn again, but she gurgled. Cooter was a little tired and stiff, and he figured a little nap while the Dukes were busy in the kitchen wouldn't harm anyone. Stretching out on his back, he watched as Kelly lay on his stomach, facing him, watching him. "Go to sleep, Kelly. It's okay; just a" he yawned and closed his eyes "little nap." He slowly drifted off to sleep.

Kelly watched him for a few moments, not making a sound. When she was satisfied he was asleep, she settled in next to him, resting her head near his heart. She gave a small sigh as she closed her eyes, the soft 'thumpa thumpa thumpa' beats lulling her asleep like a gentle lullaby.

Some time passed before the Duke clan left the kitchen, on their way to their rooms to get ready for bed. They stopped short when they saw Cooter and Kelly sound asleep on the couch, and they smiled.

"Now that's a mighty pretty sight," Daisy said.

"Sure is," Luke replied. "Looks like he got her dressed up just fine."

"So, what do we do with them?" Bo asked. "Wake 'em up?"

"You do, and I'll switch ya good," Jesse warned. "Now, ya'll get ready for bed; I'll take care of these two." The cousins said goodnight to their uncle before heading to their rooms. Jesse watched Cooter and Kelly for a few more moments before taking a knitted afghan from the rocking chair nearby and covering gently the two with it. He lay his hand on Kelly's head, smiling, before turning off the lights and heading to his room.

**Balladeer: I guess that's the signal to get some shut eye myself. Ya'll have a good night, ya hear?**

(End of Chapter 5)


	6. Chapter 6

- - - - 

The sun was shining through the windows as Cooter yawned and stretched. He slowly opened his eyes, blinking against the bright light. His eyes quickly focused, and he smiled, glancing down at his chest, then his smile quickly vanished; Kelly wasn't on his chest. He bolted up and looked around. No baby. Heart pounding, Cooter scrambled to his feet and headed into the kitchen. "Kelly!" He stopped short when he saw Daisy and Jesse at the table, eating breakfast calmly. "Where's Kelly?"

"With the boys," Jesse said before eating a bite of biscuit. "Want some breakfast?"

"Why is she with them?" Cooter asked, not moving from his spot.

"Well, she woke up before you and was gettin' fidgety," Daisy replied as she fixed a plate for Cooter. Cooter's stomach growled, and he decided to go over and sit down. In a few moments he was eating. "You were sleepin' so soundly that we didn't want to disturb you, so I got her dressed, and Bo and Luke wanted to take her out for a spin after they did their chores."

Cooter coughed as he nearly inhaled his bacon, then he looked wide-eyed at Jesse. "You let the boys take her out - for a spin?"

"Now, before you get yourself all knotted up," Jesse said, "the boys promised not to do anythin' dangerous while Kelly was in the car."

"And you believed them?" Cooter asked.

"Yes," Jesse answered, reminding himself not to get riled up, because Cooter was acting like a father; Jesse knew he'd probably react the same way if their positions were reversed. "They know if anythin' happens to her while she's in their care - I'll kill 'em myself."

"Only after I get through with 'em," Cooter muttered softly. He didn't think Jesse and Daisy heard him, but they had, and they glanced at each other. Jesse winked at Daisy, and Daisy grinned; the trio went back to eating.

- -

The General Lee flew down the dirt road, gravel flying and dust stirring into a thick cloud of dust.

"YEEEEEEEHAW!" Bo shouted, grinning as he felt the wind in his face.

"Hey, take it easy," Luke warned. "Remember, we got a delicate package in the backseat." He glanced in the rearview mirror at Kelly, as she sat securely fastened in her car seat, teething on her orange giraffe.

"Cousin, you worry too much," Bo said. "I'm goin' under the speed limit for once, and I ain't a total idiot that I'd put a child in danger. Besides, Kelly don't mind the speed." He glanced at Kelly in the rearview mirror." "Do you, darlin'?" Kelly took the giraffe out of her mouth and babbled for almost ten seconds, then she threw her giraffe at Luke's head. Bo chuckled. "See?"

Luke still felt a little squirmy, knowing that if anything happened to Kelly, then both he and Bo would be in a heap of trouble - with Jesse and Cooter . . . and Daisy too, the way she doted after the little baby. "So, now that we've shown Kelly Hazzard's best back road, what do we show her next?"

"Boar's Nest?" Bo suggested. Luke gave him a look. "What?"

"You want to take Kelly there?" Luke asked. "That ain't no place for a baby. First of all, there's the drinkin'. Second, there's the fightin'."

"Cousin, we won't give her anythin' to drink," Bo replied. "And it's not even noon, so we don't have to worry about the fightin' till then, right?"

Luke glanced at his wristwatch, then he nodded. "Yeah, you're right. Okay, Boar's Nest it is." Bo grinned and pushed the gas pedal down a little, and the car sped up but still remained under the speed limit. As soon as they passed a large brush a patrol car shot out, sirens blaring as it followed the General. Luke and Bo glanced behind them and groaned.

"What does Rosco want?" Bo asked. "Didn't do nothing wrong."

"Well, pull over anyway," Luke said. "No need for a chase right now."

Bo mimicked Luke as he slowed down and pulled the car off to the side of the road. He put the car in park, and both he and Luke got out, just as Rosco pulled up behind them and stopped. The sheriff got out, grinning with his little ticket book in hand.

"I got you Duke boys now!" Rosco said gleefully. "Speedin' red-handedly."

"Rosco, I was goin' under the speed limit, and you know it," Bo protested.

"Not accordin' to my speed-o-meter," Rosco said as he started writing the ticket. He heard soft noises coming from the General. He stopped writing and ventured over, poking his head in one of the windows; he saw Kelly bouncing in her car seat, blowing spit bubbles. Rosco smiled. "Well, hello there, darilin'." He glanced at Bo. "What's she doin' back there?"

"Blowin' spit bubbles it looks like," Bo replied.

"I meant why is she back there?" Rosco asked. "And where's Cooter? Ain't he her daddy? Both times I've seen the baby here, she's been with you boys; makes me wonder if one of you is really her daddy." He laughed at his joke.

"Rosco," Luke said, trying not to get too mad,"Cooter was sound asleep at our place, and we're showin' Kelly here all the sites of Hazzard."

"Well, speedin' down a dirt road with a baby ain't safe," Rosco said. He went back to the ticket. "That's triple the fine."

"Rosco!" Bo protested. "That's not right, and you know it!"

"Tell it to the judge," Rosco replied as he continued writing. Bo looked incredulous, then he glanced at Luke as he reached into the General and carefully unstrapped Kelly from her seat. He got her out of the car and walked over to where Rosco was standing.

"Rosco, you mind holdin' Kelly for a moment?" Luke asked.

Rosco glanced up, and found himself staring into a chubby face with green eyes, right before Luke handed the baby over. The sheriff dropped his ticket book to keep from dropping the baby, but his expression didn't waver.

"Are you tryin' to bribe your way out of a ticket?" Rosco asked. "Because it ain't gonna work."

"Now, would we stoop so low as to bribe you with a baby?" Bo asked.

"Yes," Rosco answered as Kelly stared at him. "Uh . . . well, now . . . you are kinda cute and all, ain't ya?" Kelly just grinned - then she suddenly leaned over, grabbing Rosco's nose with her mouth. Rosco yelped in surprise and tried to squirm free, but Kelly held on tight. "What is she doin' to me?"

"Awww, she likes you, Rosco," Luke smiled.

"Well, how do I get her to unlike me?" Rosco asked.

"Afraid that ain't possible," Bo replied. "But she does like peek-a-boo." He winked at Luke, who grinned.

"Yeah, especially if you use your hat to cover your face," Luke replied. "Like this." He tilted the brim over Rosco's eyes, then lifted it up. Kelly let go of Rosco's nose and broke into a fit of giggles as she clapped. "See?"

Rosco grinned. "Oh, you like that, huh, darlin'? Luke, do that again." Luke pulled down Rosco's hat, then lifted it up again, causing Kelly to clap and laugh. "Hu-g-g-g-g! Again." Luke repeated the hat trick with Rosco three more times, sending both the sheriff and the baby into fits of giggles.

Bo tried not to smile as he cleared his throat. "Now, Rosco, about -"

"Now, you just hush, Bo," Rosco interrupted. "I'm busy with the li'l lady." Talking to her, he walked back to the patrol car and began showing her around. Luke and Bo watched for a few moments, then Luke leaned over to his cousin.

"So, how long you want to give him?" he asked.

"Oh, I think a few more minutes," Bo replied. "Then he'll be completely hooked." The two Dukes watched as Rosco gave Kelly a tour of his patrol car. After a few minutes they walked over, just as Rosco was explaining the CB radio.

"Rosco, sorry to interrupt," Luke said, "but we're runnin' late; we gotta get Kelly to an appointment."

"Aww, well don't that beat it all," Rosco said, looking disappointed. He handed Kelly to Luke, and the Dukes headed back to the car, with Rosco following; he watched as they strapped Kelly back into her car seat. "Now, don't forget to strap her in good and tight." The Dukes got into their car, and Bo started the engine. Rosco waved to Kelly through the back window. "Bye, darlin'! You take care, you hear?" Kelly babbled incoherently, and Rosco grinned. "Hu-g-g-g!"

"Bye, Rosco," Bo said, waving as he pulled the General away.

"Bye, Bo!" Rosco replied, waving back. After a few moments, he realized what had happened, and his grin disappeared. "Hey, wait a minute! I didn't give you your ticket!" The General disappeared in a cloud of dust, and Rosco grabbed his hat and threw it on the ground, stamping it.

"Rosco!" Boss Hogg's voice crackled on his radio.

Rosco picked up his hat - and the ticket book - and hurried back to the patrol car, picking up the microphone. "This is Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane, little fat buddy."

"Rosco, I swear if you call me that again, I'll hang you by your toes!" Hogg threatened. "Where are you?"

"Well, I was just -"

"Nevermind, that," Boss interrupted. "Get down here immediately. We got ourselves a situation I want you to personally handle."

"Ten four, little fat -"

"ROSCO!"

Rosco jumped and put the microphone away, then he pulled his patrol car back onto the road, heading for town.

**Balladeer: Hmm . . . I wonder what old Boss is up to . . . .**

- -

The General pulled up to the Boar's Nest, and Bo killed the engine before he and Luke both reached into the back to unstrap Kelly.

"I got her," Luke said.

"Now, wait just a second, cousin," Bo replied. "You got her back when we was dealin' with Rosco. It's my turn now."

"It was only for a couple of seconds," Luke said.

"A turn is a turn," Bo replied.

"Well, why don't we let Kelly decide who she wants to hold her?" Luke suggested.

"And how do we do that?" Bo asked.

Luke thought for a moment. "How about whoever can make her laugh first gets to carry her around?"

"You're on," Bo replied. He put his hands over his eyes and then removed them quickly, grinning. Kelly just stared at him. "Now, wait, how come that didn't work? Worked with everyone else."

"Because everyone else had a hat on," Luke answered. "She likes hats." He turned to Kelly and made the funniest face he could think of. Kelly just continued to stare; Luke scratched his head, puzzled; he smiled, going into his best Enos impression. "Now, Miss Kelly, you gotta laugh at this, cause this is real funny, yes sirree." Kelly titled her head, then she reached blew a raspberry at Luke; he sighed. "Okay, I'm out of ideas."

Bo grinned and faced Kelly, whipping out his best Rosco face. "Hu-g-g-g-g-g!" Kelly suddenly giggled, and Bo looked smug - until Kelly reached over and grabbed his nose. Luke burst out into laughter.

"Well, cousin, you won," he replied. "She's all yours." He climbed out of the car, still laughing. Bo glanced at Kelly as she held firmly to his nose, and he sighed as she undid her harness and carefully got out of the car with her in his arms (not an easy task either). He held her close to him as he and Luke headed into the Boar's Nest.

Country music played from the jukebox as a handful of people sat at tables or the bar or played at the pool table. Now, normally Bo and Luke didn't get any reaction from the locals when entering the bar, but normally one of them wasn't carrying a baby in his arms. Everyone stopped what they were doing and stared at Bo as he held Kelly in his arms - and as Kelly continued to hold his nose.

"Oh, she ain't Bo's," Luke said. The crowd looked relieved. "She's Cooter's." Everyone froze, wide-eyed.

"I don't think that helped," Bo said. "Uh . . . now what?"

"Hu-guh," Kelly said, letting go of Bo's nose and leaning over, arms reaching toward the pool table.

"I think she wants to play pool," Luke smirked.

"Now, Luke, you know she can't play pool," Bo replied.

"I'm not a dummy, Bo. She can learn to play by watchin' me while you hold her."

"But I'm a better player. You teach her to play, and she'll be learnin' how to play 'scratch,' not pool."

Luke scowled at Bo briefly before walking over to the pool table. The two men there had just finished their game, so Luke racked the balls and got a cue; he leaned over and aimed as Bo came over. "Now, Kelly, first thin' you gotta do is to take aim, and then -" He stopped short when he saw Kelly crawling on the felt towards the racked balls. "Bo!" Bo was grinning, proud that his little distraction had worked.

Kelly sat in front of the balls and then patted them with her palms, babbling incoherently. Everyone watched as she did that for a few minutes, then she picked up the 7 ball and stared at it, amazed. She babbled to it, and everyone started gushing.

"See, she's cute like that," Bo replied. "No harm." He leaned over, getting really close to Kelly. "Now, ya see, Kelly, the object of the game is to put the ball in the pocket." He took another ball and gently rolled it; the ball went into a corner pocket. "Like that." Kelly stared at the pocket, hen she let loose with an ear-piercing wail - right next to Bo's ear. Bo jumped away, grabbing his ear, as Kelly extended her arms toward the pocket. "Man, what's wrong with her?"

"She don't like the balls goin' into the pockets, obviously," Luke replied.

"But that's the point of the game."

"Not to her, so you better find a way to get her smilin' again before the locals get restless."

"Or deaf," Bo added, his ear still ringing, wondering if he had any permanent hearing loss. He quickly retrieved the ball he'd sunk and handed it to Kelly, who immediately stopped crying. "Thank you, Lord." He and Luke stared at Kelly as she babbled to the billards. "Now, we gotta find someway to keep her happy."

Luke appeared to be lost in thought for a few moments, then he snapped his fingers. "I think I got us an idea."

**Balladeer: Uh oh.**

(End of Chapter 6)


	7. Chapter 7

- - - - 

Rosco knocked on Boss Hogg's office and waited. "Come in," he heard Hogg's voice say. The sheriff opened the door and walked in. He stopped short when he saw Hogg sitting at his desk – and five men in suits standing on the other side of the desk. Rosco felt a small shiver down his back. "Rosco, get in here and shut the door." Rosco did as he was told.

"You, uh, wanted to see me, Boss?" Rosco asked.

"Rosco, this is Clive Andrews," Boss said, indicating the middle man. Clive turned to face the sheriff and smiled, giving Rosco the opportunity to study the newcomer. Clive was five foot nine, with brown hair and shifty brown eyes that caused Rosco to narrow his eyes slightly; Clive carried a couple of papers in his hand. "Clive is from Capitol City. He is manager of one of the branches of the National American Bank. Mr. Andrews, this is Sheriff Coltrane."

"Nice to meet you, Sheriff," Clive said, extending a hand.

"So, uh, what brings you to Hazzard County?" Rosco asked. He glanced at the men around Clive. "Who are your friends?"

"They're a necessity I can't overlook," Clive replied, smiling. "My job gets dangerous at times." He cleared his throat. "Sheriff, I'm going to get right to the point, as I did with Mr. Hogg. I'm here concerning the welfare of my daughter. I've been told you met her already."

"Who is she?" Rosco asked.

"Her name is Kelly," Clive answered. "Kelly Angelica Howell. Well, Kelly Angelica Andrews, actually."

"That name sounds familiar," Rosco replied softly, racking his brain. "Oh, you mean Cooter's baby."

"No, I mean my baby," Clive replied.

"No, Kelly is Cooter's baby," Rosco said. "I remember the Social Service worker."

"Mindy, right?" Clive asked.

"Uh, yeah," Rosco replied slowly.

"She's a friend of Jenny's," Clive replied. He took a deep breath. "Sheriff, Jenny and I were engaged last year. She became pregnant, got scared and ran off for a time, passing through here, but she came back, and we got married; here's our marriage license." He handed Rosco a marriage license, and the sheriff studied it carefully. "Kelly was born a little over seven months later." He held up another piece of paper to Rosco. "Here's Kelly's birth certificate, with both Jenny's name and my name listed as the parents, as you can clearly see."

Rosco read the paper, looking confused, then he glanced up. "But Mindy had papers too."

"Forged," Clive replied. "You see, Sheriff, Jenny and I had a fight last week, and she took Kelly with her, disappearing with Mindy. I hired a private investigator to look into the matter, and he gave me information that Jenny and Mindy had concocted a story about her dying and that Kelly's real father was a Cooter Davenport from Hazzard County. They even had a friend of Mindy's from Social Services help them get the right papers."

"So, she's not dead?" Rosco asked.

"Far from it," Clive replied. "My men located her in Alabama yesterday, hiding with a friend there; we talked and agreed to work out our problems, and she asked me to come and bring Kelly back home. So, if you can tell me where I can find my daughter, I'll get back to my wife."

"Well, uh," Rosco said slowly.

"Rosco, you pea-brain, where is the baby?" Boss asked.

"She's with the Duke boys," Rosco answered.

"And where are the Duke boys?" Boss asked.

"Well, I last saw them on the dirt roads, showin' them to Kelly," Rosco replied. "I had pulled them over for speedin', but they got away."

Boss sighed and rolled his eyes. He looked apologetically at Clive. "Normally, he's not such an idiot, but everyone has an off day."

"I can understand that," Clive replied, "but I want my daughter back, Mr. Hogg, before I get upset." He maintained his gentle expression, but a hint of danger flashed across his eyes that caused Boss to flinch. "Now, who are these Duke boys, and where did they take my daughter?"

"Well, they're just a bunch of boys who like to drive their car," Rosco replied; something didn't seem right, but he didn't know what.

"And what does it look like?" Clive asked.

"Bright orange Dodge Charger, with a Confederate flag on top and 01 on both doors."

"Now, where can I find these Duke boys?" Clive asked.

"Anywhere there's trouble," Boss replied wryly. Clive shot him a look. "But, uh . . . given the circumstances, your best bet would be to talk to Cooter, since he thinks he's Kelly's father." He turned to Rosco. "Rosco, take Enos and Cletus and escort these men to Cooter's."

"Are you sure about that, Boss?" Rosco asked. "Maybe -"

"Rosco, I pay you to do, not think," Boss interrupted. "Now, get!"

Rosco nodded and left the office; Clive and his men followed, leaving Boss alone.

**Balladeer: You know, this is a first, but I agree with Rosco on this: somethin' ain't right here.**

- -

Daisy pulled her white Jeep next to the General Lee and got out. A confused look crossed her face, and then she hurried into the Boar's Nest. She stopped short inside, not sure she was seeing what she thought she was seeing: Kelly sitting in the middle of the pool table, clapping and laughing, while Bo and Luke stood on opposite ends, rolling the billiards back and forth as everyone else watched with smiles on their faces.

"What on earth is goin' on here?" Daisy asked. Bo and Luke looked up, sheepish. "Bo, Luke, have you lost your minds? Do you have any idea what Uncle Jesse and Cooter are gonna do to you when they find out you brought Kelly in here?"

"But we're not doin' nothin' wrong," Bo replied, grinning. "Kelly's havin' fun."

"And we haven't givin' her anythin' to drink," Luke added. "And there hasn't been a single fight. Honest." Everyone nodded and quickly backed up the boys' story. Daisy raised an eyebrow.

"Well, as long as you're keepin' her out of trouble," Daisy warned. "But you might want to get goin' anyways. Cooter's headin' to the garage with Kelly's things, and he wants to see her there for lunch." Bo and Luke nodded, and both reached for Kelly, but Bo got her first; he grinned as he held the baby up.

"Say bye, Kelly," he said, holding up Kelly's hand and waving it. Kelly babbled.

"Be careful, you two," Daisy replied before kissing Kelly's cheek. "Last thing you need to get is in trouble with her around." Bo and Luke glanced at each other briefly, deciding not to tell Daisy about their earlier encounter with Rosco, before leaving the bar and heading for the General.

- -

Cooter whistled as he got out of his truck, Kelly's bags slung over his shoulder, and he walked over to the garage doors, opening them. He walked inside and put the bags on a workbench before heading into his office for his worklist. He picked it up and read it, talking to himself, as he headed back into the garage. He glanced up and stopped short when he saw Rosco, Enos, and Cletus standing just outside with five men that Cooter didn't recognize. The mechanic smiled.

"Hi, Rosco, Enos, Cletus," he said. "Can I help you and your friends?"

Rosco stepped forward, and Cooter could see his expression was somber. "Uh, Cooter," he said. "We, uh . . . we need to talk."

Cooter furrowed his eyebrows, then he looked at Enos and Cletus; their expressions were just as somber. Cooter looked back at Rosco. "What is it, Rosco?"

"It's about Kelly," Rosco said.

**Balladeer: Now, I don't like the sound of that . . . .**

(End of Chapter 7)


	8. Chapter 8

- - - - 

The General came around the corner and pulled up in front of Cooter's garage. The two boys saw the police cars parked nearby, and they groaned.

"So, how do you want to play this?" Bo asked. "Wanna make a break for it?"

"No, we did nothin' wrong," Luke replied. He unstrapped Kelly from her seat and handed her to Bo before getting out of the car; Bo handed her back, then he got out himself, carrying the baby seat. The two headed in, and they saw Cooter leaning up against the hood of his project vehicle, looking completely despondent. Rosco, Enos, and Cletus stood nearby, along with five men who neither of the Dukes recognized.

"Cooter, what's wrong?" Bo asked. One of the men spotted Kelly and headed over, trying to extract her from Bo's arms, but Bo turned Kelly away, frowning. "Hey, mister, back off."

"That is my daughter you're holding," the man said. "And I'd like her back now."

"Well, unless your name's Cooter Davenport," Luke replied, "then you're mistaken." He walked over and stood between Bo and the man. "And I would back off real slow like."

"My name is Clive Andrews," the man replied, not wavering.

"That don't mean a thing to us," Bo said.

"Bo, Luke, give Kelly to him," Cooter said quietly. The cousins looked at their friend, incredulous.

"Cooter," Luke replied.

"Luke, she's his daughter," Cooter said, standing straight and looking over. "Jenny's not dead. In fact, she's married to Mr. Andrews; he's got papers to prove it."

"Then who was that Mindy girl?" Bo asked.

"A friend of Jenny's," Clive replied. "She and Jenny concocted this entire story; Jenny was pregnant at the time she passed through Hazzard and met Mr. Davenport."

"How did you know about that?" Luke asked.

"Jenny told me," Clive replied. "I was upset, but I had an obligation as the father of her child, so I stayed around."

"So, if she's alive, then where is she?" Luke asked. "I would think she'd want to be here to make sure her baby's safe."

"She's at home resting from her trip back home," Clive replied. "She had a long drive from staying with her friend in Alabama."

"And why was she there?" Bo asked. He kept Kelly close to him.

"We had a fight, and she left to cool off," Clive answered. "I had no idea she'd be mad enough to give Kelly over to a complete stranger. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like my daughter back." He brushed past Luke and reached for Kelly. Luke tried to grab him, but Rosco got between him and Clive.

"Now, Luke, he's Kelly's real father," he warned. "I don't wanna do it, but if you interfere I will be forced to arrest you." He glanced at Bo. "You too, Bo." He nodded at Enos, and the deputy walked over to Bo, looking apologetic.

"Sorry, Bo," Enos said quietly, "but the law's the law."

Bo's eyes darted around, from Cooter, to Luke to the men to Enos, and he tried to figure out if he could bolt away. Something didn't feel right in his gut, but he knew there wasn't anything he could do. After a few moments he sighed, defeated, and slowly handed Kelly over to Clive.

Kelly started whimpering softly as Bo handed her over, and by the time Clive was fully holding her she wailed loudly. She slowly looked around the room and spotted Cooter standing near his pet project. She struggled in Clive's arms, her little chubby arms outstretched to the mechanic. A pained look crossed Cooter's face, and he seemed like he was going to come over and get her, but then he suddenly turned away from her. Confused, the baby wailed louder.

"Get her things," Clive said to three of his men. Two retrieved the bags from the workbench and one took the car seat from Luke, and the five men left the garage. The sounds of Kelly's crying faded as they got into an expensive town car. The Dukes, Rosco, and the deputies watched the car drive off, leaving them stunned and speechless; Cooter kept his back turned, knowing if he saw Kelly leave he'd break down.

Bo fumed silently for a few moments before he became vocal. "Dt, Rosco, why did you let them take her?" he asked.

"Ya think I wanted to do that, Bo?" Rosco asked, feeling a little hurt. "Ya think I wanted to hear that baby cry like that? The law states that she belongs to her real father; I had ta follow the law."

"Yeah, well, screw the law," Luke spoke up. "Somethin' ain't right here; I could feel it in my gut."

"Yeah, well, I did too," Rosco said. "But Mr. Andrews provide evidence that he is Kelly's father." He shot an apologetic expression at Cooter's back. "Cooter . . . I'm sorry." He didn't know what else to say, so he left; Enos and Cletus followed close behind him. Bo and Luke glanced at Cooter, and they hesitated a few moments before walking over to their friend.

"Cooter," Bo said, "you -"

"I'm not feelin' well," Cooter interrupted. "Think I might be comin' down with somethin'. I'm gonna close up." Silently, he went about closing the garage. Bo and Luke stood next to the General as Cooter got in his truck and drove off.

"Wanna follow him?" Bo asked.

"No, he needs to be alone right now," Luke said. He patted Bo's shoulder. "Come on, cousin, let's get back to the farm." They got into the General, and not another word was said as Bo started the engine and pulled into the street.

- -

Cooter felt lower than a grasshopper's knee as he drove silently down the road to his farm. He couldn't believe he had just stood there and let his daughter be taken. No, he reminded himself, Kelly was not his daughter – that Andrews fella was, and the mechanic had to get used to that. He sighed as he turned the bend, and something caught his eyes. He quickly slammed on his brakes and opened the door, getting out and running up to Mindy; the young woman's glasses were broken, and she had a horrible bruise right above her left eye.

"Are you okay?" Cooter asked as he gently supported her. "What happened?" He glanced over at the side of the road and saw her car was flipped on its side.

"He . . . he . . . tried to kill me," Mindy said slowly, dazed.

"Who?" Cooter asked as a sinking feeling started building in the pit of his stomach.

"Andrews," Minday replied. "He and his men . . . drove me off the road . . . ." She trailed off, and her knees buckled. Cooter picked her up and carried her to the truck, gently putting her in the cab. He got in and drove down the road a bit before turning around, heading back to town.  
- - - -

Jesse was whittling a piece of wood into a homemade rattle for Kelly, whistling softly, when he heard the sound of a familiar engine. He looked up and smiled as the General pulled up and his boys got out.

"So, I take it Cooter and Kelly are enjoyin' their lunch?" Jesse asked.

"No," Luke replied glumly.

Jesse's smile faded. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"Kelly's gone, Uncle Jesse," Bo said.

"What do you mean?" Jesse asked.

"Cooter ain't her real daddy," Luke answered. "Her real daddy came and took her away."

"I'm sorry, Uncle Jesse," Bo said. "It was all my fault. I shoulda done somethin'."

"What are you talkin' about?"

"I just stood there and let them take her. I shoulda run, but Rosco and Enos told us not to interfere."

"Now, Bo, I don't know what all happened, but if that was her real daddy, then you did the right thing; I know it musta been hard, but I'm proud of ya."

"Then why don't it feel right?" Bo asked. "He had papers sayin' he was Kelly's daddy, but I don't think he was."

"Me neither," Luke replied. "And Kelly didn't like him none; she cried from the moment Bo handed her over."

Jesse sighed. "Boys, I know this must be really hard for both of ya, but ya gotta respect the law." He paused. "How's Cooter takin' it?"

"He went home," Bo replied. "He was really upset."

"I'll check on him later," Jesse said. "Right now, why don't we get some work done? As upsetting as this is, we still got work to do . . . okay?" His boys nodded and he put his arms around both of them as they headed toward the barn.

- -

Rosco and Enos pulled their patrol cars up to the curb in front of Hazzard County General and got out. They had gotten a call about Mindy being brought in with minor injuries from a car accident, and they had come to investigate. They headed toward the building when the front doors slammed open and Cooter came storming out, his jaw set, eyes blazing. Rosco and Enos stopped short; they had never seen Cooter that mad – ever. They watched as he passed them, like he didn't even see them – or anything else, for that matter. They watched as the mechanic stormed to his truck, got in, started the engine, and peeled away, leaving streaks of black on the pavement and an odor of burnt rubber in the air. Rosco and Enos glanced at each other.

"Enos, go after him while I go talk with that Mindy gal," Rosco said.

"Why me?" Enos asked.

"Because I said so, you dipstick. Now get." Enos went back to his car and Rosco headed into the hospital.

**Balladeer: Somethin's up with Cooter . . . and all I can say is 'ouch.'**

(End of Chapter 8)


	9. Chapter 9

- - - - 

Rosco walked into the room the doctor told him Mindy was in. He saw her laying in bed, a wicked bruise on her head; she turned her head and saw him, and he removed his hat as he came in and shut the door.

"You're the sheriff, right?" she asked softly.

"Yes, ma'am," Rosco said.

"You gotta . . . keep her . . . safe," Mindy whispered. "He tried . . . to kill . . . me."

"Who did?" Rosco asked.

"Andrews," Mindy answered. "He . . . ran me of the road . . . Jenny told me to keep Kelly away from him . . . please don't let him get Kelly . . . ."

"But he's her father," Rosco said.

Mindy slowly shook her head. "No . . . he's not. He's dangerous. Have to keep . . . Kelly . . . safe . . . ." She trailed off as she slipped into an exhausted sleep.

Rosco let what Mindy had told him sink in, and he furrowed his eyebrows. He thought back to the gut feeling he'd had, and then he added what he'd just learned . . . and then he remembered seeing Cooter come out of the hospital looking madder than Rosco had ever seen him before . . . and his eyes widened. He hurried from the room and out of the hospital, heading for his car. He grabbed the CB. "Enos, pick up, over." There was a crackle on the radio, then –

"Enos here, Sheriff," the deputy replied. "Over."

"Where's your location?" Rosco asked.

"I'm behind Cooter's truck a couple miles outside town headin' west toward Capitol City," Enos said. "I don't get it, Sheriff. Cooter's not pullin' over, but he's not tryin' to outrun me either."

"Enos, I want you to listen to me," Rosco said. "I just talked with that Mindy gal. That Clive Andrews character tried to kill her. Now, I don't have time to explain everythin', but you gotta find Kelly and get her back; she's not Andrews' daughter."

"What?" Enos asked.

"Enos, just do it," Rosco said.

"What about Cooter?"

"Keep him outta this," Rosco replied. "I gotta feelin' that Mindy told him what she told me, and he's aimin' to settle this himself."

"What if I catch up with Andrews?"

"Do not engage until I get there."

"Understood, Sheriff."

"Over and out." Rosco waited a few moments, then he held the microphone near his mouth. "Bo, Luke, you there?" Nothing. "Any Dukes there?" Static, then nothing. Rosco grumbled and started his engine, then he sped off, heading for the Duke farm.

**Balladeer: Now, this is gettin' interestin' . . .**

- -

Enos followed Cooter's truck down the road, lights flashing, sirens blaring, wondering what was going on, thinking about all the horrible things that Kelly might be going through . . . and all the things Cooter would do to anyone who harmed Kelly, because Enos knew exactly what he would do to anyone who hurt a baby; Cooter, being her father, meant all those things – only a hundred times worse.

The deputy knew that he had to keep Cooter away – for his sake as well as Kelly's. He reached for his microphone. "Cooter, this is Enos. Over." Nothing. "Cooter, you there? Over." Nothing. "Cooter, look, Rosco just told me what happened. Now, I understand you bein' upset and all -"

"Enos, you can't understand this," Cooter's voice came over the radio. "She's my daughter . . . and this is all my fault."

"Cooter, he had all of us fooled."

"That don't make me feel any better. I shoulda known better."

"Cooter, you can't go after these people half-cocked; they could hurt you . . . or Kelly. Maybe you should just let me and Rosco handle this."

"That's my daughter out there, Enos. I'm handlin' this."

Enos sighed, knowing he wouldn't be able to change the mechanic's mind. "Well, look, why don't you and I work together until Rosco joins us? We'll follow Andrews and keep an eye on him until we get reinforcement."

"Enos, I don't care what you do; I just want to get my daughter back."

"Do you know where they're headin'?"

"Mindy told me that all she knew about Andrews was that he was from Capitol City and dangerous."

"Well, that ain't much help."

"Enos, I remember what that car looked like. We find that car, we find Kelly." He put his microphone down and tightened his grip on the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white.

**Balladeer: One word of advice, ya'll – the worst place to be is between a daddy and his kin . . . and that's a lesson I know Clive Andrews is gonna soon be learnin' the hard way.**

- -

Bo, Luke, and Jesse were coming out of the barn after finishing some repairs when Rosco's patrol car skittered up to the farm, stopping abruptly near the house. The three Dukes were confused as Rosco got out and hurried over to them, looking more serious than they had ever remembered seeing the sheriff – and they knew whatever it was had to be bad . . . real bad.

"Bo, Luke, you two gotta come with me," Rosco said.

"Now, you think we're gonna fall for that again?" Luke asked. "Last time we did that, you arrested us."

"Yeah, fool us once, shame on you," Bo said. "Fool us twice . . . uh, well, you ain't gonna fool us twice."

"I ain't here to arrest nobody," Rosco said. "I got bigger things to worry about." He cleared his throat, embarrassed. "And . . . well, I need you boys to help me."

"What's wrong, Rosco?" Jesse asked.

"I just came from the hospital," Rosco answered. "That social worker, Mindy, is in there."

"Is she okay?" Luke asked. "What happened?"

"That shifty Andrews fella ran her off the road and purt near killed her," Rosco replied. He saw the Dukes' concerned expression. "She's gonna be fine, but there's a bigger problem. Andrews still has Kelly – and a mighty big head start." He took a deep breath. "Look, boys, I know we've had our differences, but I need you to go; you're the fastest drivers I know, and I trust you boys."

"How far'd they get?" Luke asked.

"Not sure," Rosco replied. "But the kidnappers ain't who I need you to catch up to."

"But they have Kelly," Bo said, half distracted out of frustration and stirrings of guilt. "If you don't want us to catch them, then what do you want out of us? And does Cooter know about this?"

"Cooter's the one who found Mindy and got her to the hospital," Rosco answered.

"Where is he now?" Luke asked.

"He's already gone," Rosco replied. "He lit out like a coyote on fire just as me and Enos got to the hospital." The Duke boys' eyes widened, and they scrambled for the General. "Enos is supposed to be trailing him; he's got his ears on, so you be sure to contact him if you need it." Rosco knew Enos probably couldn't overtake the mechanic - even on a good day – and that right now if he did he'd probably wish he hadn't. Rosco saw the look in the Duke boys' eyes that confirmed his suspicion that lumbering wordy ol' Cooter Davenport had just become a force not to be toyed with.

"You boys be careful!" Jesse yelled to the General peeling away as he hurried into the house; Rosco hurried back to this patrol car and drove off. The patriarch grabbed the CB microphone and turned on the radio. "Sheepdog, this is Shepherd. Come in, Sheepdog." Nothing. "Shepherd to Sheepdog, do you copy?" Nothing. "Look, uh, Cooter, I don't know if you can hear this, but I want to tell you help is on the way; you know Bo and Luke won't let those snakes get away with that sweet girl. I promise you that." He put the microphone back and took a seat at the table. He wanted to go out and help his boys, but he knew he needed to stay back to wait for Daisy; he did not want her getting involved. The farmer leaned forward, rested his arms on the table, closed his eyes and said a small prayer.

**Balladeer: I think I'll be sayin' a prayer myself – for that Clive Andrews fella, because he's gonna need all the prayer he can get by the time Cooter gets a hold of him . . . then again, maybe I'll cheer Cooter on instead.**

- -

A sign saying 'Welcome to Capitol City' would have been a nice sight, but not for Cooter and Enos as they drove down the main thoroughfare. They searched left and right for Andrews' car – or any sign of the men or Kelly – but there was none. Enos spotted a service station and convinced Cooter to pull in. The manager pointed down the road, saying Andrews' car had passed by a few minutes ago. Enos and Cooter headed off in the direction, and Cooter sped dangerously while Enos tried to keep up; he reached for his microphone.

"Cooter, ya gotta slow down," he said. "I mean, I already contacted Sheriff Winters and told him what was goin' on, so he ain't gonna pull us over or anythin', but you're gonna cause an accident if you don't be careful." He didn't get a response, so he sighed and put his microphone back.

The two vehicles headed out of the city and were about a mile away when they heard a familiar southern tune. The General Lee suddenly jumped over a set of bushes, landing on the road in front of Cooter's truck, taking the point position.

"Boy, I was wonderin' when you boys were gonna show up," Enos said, smiling as he talked into his microphone. "Where's Rosco?"

"He's takin' the road around the pond," Luke came back. "He wanted to try to cut Andrews off before he reaches the county line. Cooter, you copy?" Nothing. "Cooter, you copy?"

"I copy, Lucas," Cooter replied.

"Cooter, we're gonna get her back, you hear me?" Luke asked.

"I hear ya," Cooter said quietly. He sighed. "So, what's the plan?" As they turned a bend, they saw a familiar car in the distance.

"There he is," Bo growled, grinding his teeth as he gripped the steering wheel tightly.

"Easy, Bo," Luke said. "We don't want to rile him up or nothing.'"

"So, what, we do we do?" Cooter asked. The car suddenly flew down the highway. "He spotted us."

"I'm on it," Bo said, flooring it. Cooter and Enos followed suit. The three cars followed Andrews down the twisting road, trying to come up with a plan to take stop the car without endangering the baby in it.

"Rosco, what's your 10-20?" Luke asked.

"I'm in position at the county line, Luke," Rosco's voice replied. "Andrews'd have to have a tank to get through my blockade."

"Well, just be careful," Luke said. "We don't wanna endanger Kelly. We should be there shortly; we're less than a mile out."

"Roger that, Luke."

As the cars came around another bend they could see Rosco's patrol car blocking the road head. They watched to see what Andrews would do, and they didn't have to wait long. The car swerved to the right, trying to go around the block, and it skittered on loose gravel. Everyone watched in horror as the car spun violently before smashing head on into a tree.

**Balladeer: Calling all angels...**

(End of Chapter 9)


	10. Chapter 10

- - - - 

It was as if time had suddenly gone into slow motion. The General Lee, Cooter's truck, and Enos' patrol car slammed on their brakes. The four men hurried from their cars and joined Rosco as they hurried over to the mangled car. They saw the driver's side door open and Andrews slowly emerge, looking a little dazed. When he looked up and saw five men – five angry men (two with guns) – his daze wore off, and he bolted for the nearby woods; Bo tore after him, knowing the others would take care of Kelly and the rest of the men. He knew Cooter would want to have first dibs on Andrews, but Bo knew Cooter would want to make sure Kelly was fine before anything else. Bo also knew that Cooter would kill Andrews if he got a hold of him, and as much as Andrew might have deserved it, Bo wouldn't want one of his best friends going to jail for Murder Two, especially after just becoming a daddy.

**Balladeer: Besides, Bo' more experienced with evadin' arrest.**

Andrews ran as fast as he could, panting hard, his heart pounding as he tried to get away, knowing full well what would happen to him if he got caught. He thought that by making it to the woods, he could have an advantage over his pursuer, but he would never get the chance to know one way or another. He had run about twenty feet when he was slammed into from behind and knocked to the ground. He struggled with his assailant, then he managed to twist around. He wished he hadn't, because he found himself staring right into the eyes of Bo – and for the first time, Andrews found himself scared for his life.

Bo pinned Andrews to the ground, sitting on him, his hands wrapped around the guy's neck. "Give me a reason," he said, his voice low, his teeth clenched. "Give me just one reason . . . ."

"What do you want from me?" Andrews wheezed.

"I want you to come clean about everythin'," Bo snarled. "About Mindy, and especially about Kelly. Then, if ya ever manage to see daylight again, ya better not even think of thinkin' about Kelly or anyone else in Hazzard . . . if ya do they'll be lookin' for yer remains from here to Kingdom Come. Ya hear me!"

"Yes," Andrews wheezed.

Bo glanced briefly over his shoulder, then he looked back at Andrews. "And one more thin'," he said. He leaned in close. "If yer just real perfectly good, I might think about knockin' out now."

"And why would that be a good thing?" Andrew asked

"'Cause if I do, then he don't get to." He pointed, and Andrews craned his neck; his life flashed before his eyes when he saw Cooter storming over, his eyes clouded over with an intense fire. "'Course, by the way he's lookin' he's liable to kill ya."

Andrews knew that Bo wasn't kidding – about anything. "Please, don't let him get me," he begged. "I'll confess, I swear."

"Good," Bo said, right before he balled up his fist and slammed it into Andrews' face. He heard the crack as the guy's nose broke, and Andrews was instantly knocked unconscious. He got to his feet as Cooter approached, and he stood between the mechanic and the unconscious man.

"Outta my way, Bo," Cooter said, trying to brush past Bo to get to his intended target.

"Cooter, he's already dealt with."

"Not by me."

"Yeah, but I ain't gonna let you do something you'll regret."

"Trust me, Bo, I ain't gonna regret killin' him."

"But you will regret leavin' Kelly without a daddy." Cooter stopped and glanced at him. "Come on, Coot. He's gonna be out for at least an hour." He gently steered Cooter away. The two walked back to the others, where Enos and Rosco had already cuffed Andrews men. Luke was holding Kelly, trying to get her to calm down as she wailed loudly. Cooter hurried over and gently took her from Luke, carefully holding her, rocking her gently, talking softly.

"Is she okay?" Bo asked.

"Well, Andrews has the good sense to fasten her in her car seat and then strap the car seat in," Luke replied. "We don't see no bruises or bleedin' or nothin'."

"Can't say the same for the other fellers," Enos added, nodding to the cuffed, semi-conscious men still in the car.

"I still wanna get her checked out," Cooter said softly.

"What about Andrews?" Rosco asked Bo.

"Buried him in the woods," Bo replied.

"What?" Rosco asked, his eyebrows shooting up. Then he realized that Bo was pulling his leg, and he sighed as he shook his head as he headed off to find Andrews.

Cooter had taken to rubbing Kelly's back in an attempt to calm her, and it worked. Her wails slowly subsided, and she leaned her head against Cooter's chest. She sniffled, then hiccupped. After a slight pause, she turned her head. "Ma-ma," she said softly before burying her face back into Cooter's chest.

It was all Cooter could do to not break down as he hugged Kelly as tightly as he dared. "I'm not going to let anyone take you away from me again," he said softly. "I promise. Come on, pumpkin. Let's get you to the hospital, okay?" Kelly responded by blowing a raspberry, causing Cooter to chuckle. Then he turned and headed back to his truck, waiting for either Bo or Luke to get the car seat for him.

While Rosco and Enos dealt with Andrews and his men down at the jailhouse Cooter and the Duke boys were in a cubicle at the hospital, watching as Doc Appleby checked Kelly out after studying her recently developed x-rays. The baby squirmed and made noises at the doctor as he examined her, almost kicking him at one point (which made the trio grin). After a time, Doc Appleby finished, looking up at Cooter.

"Well?" Cooter asked anxiously.

"Well, she appears to be in good spirits," Appleby answered. "And her x-rays show no broken bones. I don't feel any trauma or internal bleeding or anything to be concerned with." Kelly reached over and grabbed the end of the doctor's stethoscope that dangled within reach; she stuffed it in her mouth, gumming it happily, loving the feel of the coldness in her mouth. Appleby smiled wryly. "I'm giving her a clean bill of health."

"Blat!" Kelly exclaimed, spitting out the stethoscope, then she looked over and reached her arms out to Cooter. "Uh!" Cooter picked her up and rocked her gently.

"I think that's her way of sayin' 'let's go,'" Luke replied.

Appleby smiled. "We're through here, Cooter. Take care, and good luck with Kelly." He left.

"So, we ready?" Bo asked. "I hate hospitals."

"Let's go," Cooter replied, smiling as he held his daughter. He headed out of the room, Kelly securely in his arms, with the Duke boys following behind.

**Balladeer: Now, I'm sure you're all wonderin' what happened to Andrews and his men – and why they were after Kelly in the first place. Well, ya see, turns out that Jenny was a waitress, and she had gone into debt tryin' to take care of Kelly, so she went to Andrews for a loan. Now, in addition to being a banker, Andrews also moonlighted as a loanshark, and when Jenny couldn't pay him back, he had her killed and wanted to take Kelly as payment. Good thing he's in jail, because I can guarantee you even I would take a shot at him if I could. But that ain't the rest of the story – not by a long shot. Oh, and by the way, Kelly turned out to really be Cooter's daughter, which made a lot of people happy, includin' me.**

**Cooter felt that he and Kelly needed to get away from Hazzard for a few days, just so he could sort through everythin' that had happened. He also needed to get some closure to Jenny's death – and there was only one place he knew he'd get that. So, after getting' reassurance from the entire Duke family that they would take care of the garage and his farm, Cooter left Hazzard with his little girl beside him. It took almost a week, but Cooter managed to track down where Jenny had been buried. Turned out, she hadn't been buried in Capitol City; her parents had her body sent to Atlanta, where she was buried at New Covington Cemetery.**

**Cooter thought about going by and letting Jenny's parents know they had a granddaughter, but he wasn't ready for that just yet; he wanted Kelly all to himself, as selfish as that sounded . . . and, frankly, he was worried they would try to take Kelly from him – and he had promised his little girl that no one was going to take her from him ever again.**

The sun was hidden behind thick gray clouds as Cooter stood in front of a dark marble headstone, Kelly in his arms, sleeping with her head resting on his shoulder; he held his greasy yellow hat in his hands. He stared at the words carved into the stone:

_Jennifer Lynn Howell  
Born August 15, 1954  
Died July 16, 1983  
It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all_

The mechanic smiled sadly at the last quote, then he cleared his throat, careful not to wake Kelly. "Ya know," he said softly, "I had this whole speech memorized, but I can't remember any of it. I know ya had yer reasons for waitin' to tell me about Kelly – and I wanted to let ya know I'm not mad . . . I understand. I just wish ya coulda been here." He looked away for a moment, his expression a mixture of sadness and confusion. "Jenny, why didn't ya come to me if ya needed help? I woulda done my part. Ya didn't have to go to Andrews." He paused, sighing, then he glanced at Kelly. "Look, I know we can't change what happened, but I want to let ya know I'll take good care of Kelly. I'll be honest – I have no idea what I'm doin' here, but I'm glad ya trusted me with our daughter . . . and I won't let ya down. I promise."

Cooter reached into his jeans pocket and pulled out a white queen chess piece, and knelt beside the headstone. He put it on the ground next to the dark marble, then he touched Jenny's name lightly with his fingers. He stood up and stared at the headstone for a few moments, then he gently kissed Kelly's cheek; the baby stirred, but she didn't wake up. "Come on, pumpkin, let's go home." He turned and headed out of the cemetery.

The '69 white Ford truck puttered along at a reasonable speed as Cooter sat behind the wheel, singing 'She'll Be Comin' Round the Mountain.' He glanced occasionally at Kelly as she bounced securely in her car seat, babbling along with her father as he sang. It had been too late to venture back from Atlanta after visiting Jenny's grave, so they got a good night's rest and a hearty breakfast at a hotel in town (Cooter felt it was better for Kelly to have a bottle instead of trying solids in public . . . at least for the time being). They left at mid-morning after calling the Dukes to let them know, and it was close to noon by the time they reached Hazzard County.

Cooter was in better spirits, but he was exhausted. He turned the bend near the entrance to the farm, and he saw the General Lee parked sideways, blocking the entrance. Bo and Luke were leaning against the bright orange car, arms folded, grinning. Cooter pulled up and rolled down his window, sticking his head out.

"This a welcome wagon?" he asked, smiling.

"Sorta," Bo replied as he walked over. "This is a highjackin', Coot." He held up a bandana. "Now, scoot over and put this on."

Cooter sighed. "Bo, we're tired. Can't it wait?"

"Not really," Bo replied. "Now, do what yer told."

Cooter raised an eyebrow, but he finally did what Bo asked; he took the baby seat and put it in his lap. Kelly looked up at her father with eyes full of questions; Cooter shrugged. "I have no idea what they're doin' either." Making sure that the baby seat wouldn't move Cooter took the bandana and tied it over his eyes.

"See anythin'?" Bo asked.

"Nothin'," Cooter answered; it was pitch black behind that bandana. Bo grinned and waved to Luke, who got into the General and headed down the drive to the farm. Bo followed in Cooter's truck. Cooter held onto the baby seat as the truck bounced along the bumpy dirt road, and he wondered what the boys had in mind. After a minute he heard the sound of Dixie being played, then silence. A few moments later the truck stopped, and then he heard his door open.

"Coot, I'm gonna take the car seat," the mechanic heard Luke say. He felt the car seat being lifted off his lap, then a few moments later he felt someone grab his arm.

"Come on, Cooter," Bo said. "Let's get out." Cooter let Bo help him out of the truck. Cooter's mind was whirling as he felt Kelly being handed back to him, and he held her tightly.

"Okay, what's going on?" Cooter asked. The blindfold was removed, and suddenly –

"SURPRISE!"

Cooter's jaw nearly dropped to the ground when he saw that Jesse, Daisy, Rosco, Enos, Cletus, and pretty much the entire town – including Boss Hogg and Lulu – were standing under a large banner that said 'Welcome Home Cooter and Kelly.' The sign hung from Cooter's house – which looked different than the last time Cooter saw it . . . a lot different.

"What in tarnation?" Cooter asked slowly. "My house."

"We fixed it up," Luke said, patting his friend's back, grinning.

Cooter stared at the home; it was fixed up so well that he almost didn't recognize it. All the shutters had been replaced, along with all the damaged wood. The porch had been fixed, including that large hole on the left side, as well as the broken steps; there was even a brand new porch swing hanging off to one side. The roof had been reshingled, and the entire house had been repainted a pristine yellow with white trim and shutters. Around the house were neatly trimmed juniper shrubs, except around the porch beds, which held a few rows of Arabian Myst tulips in full bloom. Even the windows had been scrubbed and cleaned.

"And that ain't all," Bo added. He turned Cooter around to see the rest of the property. Cooter couldn't believe how neat and tidy everything was. The barn had been repaired and painted a rich maroon color, and a large iron weather vane was fixed on the angled roof. The tractor was polished and shiny, the horse trailer was washed and cleaned, and both were parked near the barn. All the junk had been removed, and sods of grass had been planted in the bare patches; the property had been mowed, and even some of the branches from the surrounding trees had been trimmed back.

"But how . . . why?" Cooter asked.

"Well, now why do ya think?" Jesse asked. "Cooter, yer gonna have yer hands full enough with Kelly without havin' to worry about everythin' else."

"And as for the how," Daily said, "we started puttin' the word out before you and Kelly left for Atlanta, and the town was glad to pitch in. We all worked together gettin' supplies and things, and then we went to work fixin' the place up."

"And Boss helped tremendously," Enos said. "After the Duke boys told Lulu about Kelly she talked Boss into pitchin' in – he hired workers and everythin', and paid for it all outta his own pocket."

Cooter glanced at Boss and saw him looking less than pleased at the thought of being forced to using his own pocket money on someone other than himself. He knew Boss had been forced into helping, but Cooter couldn't help but feel touched. He walked over to the short fat man. "Thank you, Boss," he said.

"Well, it weren't like I had much of a choice," Boss replied. He glanced at Kelly in Cooter's arm; it was the first time he had ever really seen her. She stared at him with big green eyes. "Uh, I mean, I -" Kelly reached out and grabbed his nose, holding tight. "Hey, hey, watch the nose! Ow!"

"Boopa!" Kelly exclaimed, causing everyone to laugh, even Boss.

"Oh, she is mighty perty," Lulu said, gushing over the baby. Kelly suddenly became really shy and buried her face in Cooter's chest.

"Come on, Cooter," Daisy said. "Why don't we give ya a tour?" She grabbed Cooter's arm and led him up the porch stairs; she opened the door and stepped inside. Cooter followed, then Jesse excused the rest of the town before he headed inside with Bo and Luke; everyone else left.

Cooter stopped short when he stepped into the living room, and his eyes widened. The room had been painted dark beige with white trim. The pine floors had been polished and waxed, and all the ratty, torn, and scuffed furniture had been replaced. A brand new couch with brick red upholstery was centered, facing the wall closest to the front door. On both sides of the couch were simple pine end tables with simple red lamps; in front of the couch was a matching pine coffee table. Laying on the floor in front of the coffee table was a large thick rug that matched the color of the couch. A new TV was pushed against the wall closest the front door, facing the couch. The fireplace on the far wall had been cleaned out and now had a child proof cover over it. On one side of the fireplace, against the wall, was a pine bookshelf, filled with all of Cooter's books. Beside it in the far corner sat a brick red upholstered reading chair and matching ottoman. A floor lamp stood behind the chair, and brick red curtains hung on rails above the two windows in the room, pulled back to let in the bright sunlight.

"What is this?" Cooter asked.

"It's your livin' room," Daisy said.

"We kinda spruced it up a little," Bo added. "T'weren't really fit for a baby beforehand." Kelly burped and then blew a raspberry. Bo grinned. "Well, it wasn't, darlin'. I'm sorry." Kelly held her arms out to Bo, and Cooter handed her over. Bo smiled and held Kelly closer, letting her pat his face with her hand, then he grabbed her hand and stuck it in his mouth, like he was trying to eat it. Kelly giggled loudly.

"While he's eatin' Kelly, why don't we take a look at the rest of the house?" Luke suggested.

The group left Bo and Kelly in the living room and ventured into the kitchen. Cooter looked around in awe. The walls had been painted yellow with white trim, and all the cabinets were painted white; the pine floors had been polished till they shone. The appliances had been replaced, and a small kitchen table made of pine was centered in the middle of the room, with four matching chairs around it; white curtains hung over the windows. Against the far wall was a pine high chair for Kelly, complete with a yellow seat cushion.

"And we made sure everythin' would be easy to clean, given Kelly's current eatin' habits," Jesse said.

"And one of the cabinets has nothin' but drop cloths in it, just in case," Daisy added, smiling.

"And all the women in town baked and cooked and shopped," Luke said. "You got food and for both you and Kelly for roughly a month." They veered Cooter through the kitchen to the back of the house. They walked through a doorway into the small mud/laundry room, and Jesse flipped on a light switch, bathing the room in a soft glow as Cooter looked around.

The walls and floors had been painted and polished the same way as in the kitchen, making the room look bigger than it was. A washer and dryer were pushed against the back wall, along with a deep washing sink. White cabinets hung above the washer and dryer, and Luke opened the doors to show the laundry supplies in them.

"You wanna see the backyard now or later?" Jesse asked.

Cooter smiled. "Anything special?"

"Just tidied up, mowed, and built a little shed for Kelly's outdoor toys," Jesse said. Cooter's smile grew.

"Why don't we see the rest of the house?" Daisy suggested, tugging on Cooter's arm. The group left the laundry, went back through the kitchen, and stopped short just inside the living room. Bo lay on his back on the rug and held Kelly up in the air, swooping her up and down, making motor sounds.

"What are you doin' to that poor baby?" Luke asked.

"I'm pretendin' she's the General," Bo answered. "And I'm takin' her for a spin."

"Wheee!" Kelly shrieked.

"See, she likes it," Bo said, sitting up and tickling Kelly's tummy.

"Oh, she's no General," Luke said, walking over and taking Kelly from Bo. He pretended to look her up and down. "Naw, she's somethin' else." Kelly wrinkled her eyebrows, then she promptly spit up on Luke's shirt. "Ew!" Kelly clapped and looked pleased with herself; even Bo couldn't help himself and started laughing.

"Nice aim, darlin'," he said as he got to his feet.

Cooter hurried over and took Kelly from Luke. "Sorry, Luke," he said as Luke carefully unbuttoned his shirt and took it off.

"Oh, don't worry about it," Luke said. He waded up his shirt to where the spit up wouldn't get anywhere and put it on the floor near the couch. "We should start with Kelly's room; looks like she needs a cleanin' up herself." Kelly had spit up near her mouth, and on her sky blue dress. Cooter agreed and followed the group down the hall to the spare room at the end of the hall; they walked in, and Cooter gasped softly.

Kelly's room had been painted in robin egg blue, with purple trim. All of the baby furniture – crib (with purple sheets and pillows), changing table, and dresser – where painted white. The floor was polished like in the other rooms, and there were all kinds of stuffed animals and colorful toys in the crib and neatly stacked around the room, but something familiar in the back corner of the room caught Cooter's eye. He tilted his head, then he recognized what it was – his mother's old rocking chair. He had kept it in the barn, but there it was, plain as day, repaired and painted to match the rest of the furniture. The mechanic couldn't help it as his eyes misted over as he remembered all the times his mother had rocked him in that very chair. A few minutes later he felt a strong hand on his shoulder.

"We thought it'd be fittin' to have it in here," Jesse replied.

"Thank you," Cooter whispered. "All of you . . . for everythin'."

Jesse smiled, then he glanced at his kids. They nodded and quietly headed out of the room. "If ya need anythin', Cooter, don't hesitate to call." He patted Cooter's shoulder before leaving, following his kids. Cooter stared around the room, feeling overwhelmed that he had people that cared about him – and his daughter – as much as the Dukes did. He glanced down at Kelly and smiled through his tears.

"Ya know what?" he said. "I really think you're going to like it here, Kelly," he said. Kelly gurgled as he headed over to the changing table.

Night had fallen, and the only light lit in the living room that was the floor lamp. It bathed the room in a soft glow as Cooter lay on his back on the couch. He had just finished giving Kelly her bath and diapered and dressed her in her powder blue pajamas. Kelly lay on her back, leaning against Cooter's chest, her eyes half closed as she drank slowly from the tiny bottle Cooter held in his left hand; his right arm was wrapped loosely around Kelly's tummy. A few minutes passed before Kelly was full, and she gently pushed the bottle away. Cooter put the bottle on the coffee table, carefully got into a seating position, put Kelly over his shoulder, and gently patted her back.

"Braaack," Kelly burped softly, then she yawned and nuzzled into Cooter's shoulder.

"Ready for bedtime, pumpkin?" Cooter asked softly.

"Moo-puh-puh," Kelly mumbled. Smiling and holding his daughter securely, Cooter stood up and started heading for Kelly's room. He had just entered the hallway when someone knocked on the front door. Cooter stopped and turned, heading for the front door instead.

"Who is it?" Cooter asked.

"It's me, Cooter," Rosco said. Curious, Cooter opened the door and saw Rosco standing on the front porch, hat and a small worn book in his hands. Sitting beside him, all dolled up in a bright green dog coat, was Rosco's lazy basset hound, Flash.

"Hey, Rosco, is everythin' okay?" Cooter asked.

"Oh, yeah, yeah, everythin' is fine," Rosco replied. He noticed Kelly on Cooter's shoulder, and he grinned. "Oh, hello there, Kelly, how ya doin'?" Kelly glanced up and turned to face the sheriff. She stared at him for a few moments, then she leaned over, holding her hands out to grab Rosco's nose. Rosco stepped back, covering his nose. "Oh, no ya don't, darlin'. Not this time." Kelly's chin quivered, and her eyes welled up with tears – and then she let loose with a loud wail. Cooter closed his eyes, trying not to get upset, and Rosco started panicking.

"Oh, no, no, Kelly," he said quickly. "Don't cry." He smiled, but that didn't work, then he made a bunch of goofy faces as Cooter started whispering softly to her. Nothing worked, and Rosco started feeling bad, then he glanced down. Flash was just standing there, looking bored, not the least bit fazed by the loud wails. Rosco reached down and picked up his dog, holding her up to Kelly's eye level. "Lookie here, Kelly, this is Flash. She's been at the groomer's, so that's why she ain't been around recently."

Kelly continued wailing, then she caught sight of the dog. She had never seen a dog before, and she stopped crying instantly, her eyes growing wide at the sight of the new object. She reached out a hand and grabbed Flash's nose; it was cold and wet, and she started giggling.

"Oh, thank goodness," Rosco breathed a sigh of relief. "Sorry, Cooter."

"It's okay, Rosco," Cooter replied. Kelly squirmed to get to Flash, and Cooter couldn't really keep a good hold on her. "Rosco, ya think Flash would mind being on the ground with Kelly?"

"Don't see no problem with that at all," Rosco said. He put Flash down, and the basset lumbered into the house. Cooter put Kelly down, and she crawled after Flash, then the mechanic looked back at the sheriff.

"So, what brings ya here so late, Rosco?" Cooter asked.

"Well, I wanted to give ya somethin'," Rosco replied. He held up the small worn book. Cooter could see the faded letters on the cover spelling out 'Jack and the Beanstalk.' "This was mine when I was li'l, and my momma used to read it to me. I, uh . . . I want ya to have it . . . so ya can read it to Kelly." He held it out as an offering.

Cooter smiled, touched, as he took the book "Thank ya, Rosco," he said. "This means a lot – and I know that Kelly will like this book."

Rosco smiled, grateful that his present was received with open arms. He felt a lump welling up in his throat, and he covered it with a cough before the lump dissolved. He glanced up as Flash came lumbering from behind the couch, and he stopped short. Cooter turned to see what had Rosco's attention, and he smiled.

Kelly lay on her stomach, draped over Flash's back, sound asleep, with one of Flash's ears in her mouth. The basset's expression was indifferent, like she didn't know she had a baby on her back with one of her ears in the baby's mouth – or she didn't care. She walked over the rug, slowly turned around three times, and carefully plopped down on the rug; Kelly didn't fall off or move as she remained on Flash's back, sleeping soundly. Flash lay her head on the rug, sighed softly, and closed her eyes.

"Awwww, now that is down right purty," Rosco said softly, smiling. "You know, Cooter, I think those two are gonna be good friends."

"Yeah, I think yer right," Cooter replied. He sighed. "Too bad I have to wake Kelly up."

"Oh, don't worry about that," Rosco said quickly. "Flash can stay here."

"Ya sure?"

Rosco nodded. "Well, I best be goin'. 'Night, Cooter." He nodded and left. Cooter closed and locked the door after Rosco left. He went about checking the house, making sure everything was locked and turned off before coming back. He left the living room lamp on before walking over to the rug and lay on his stomach beside Kelly and Flash. He rested his head on his arms as he watched his daughter sleep. After he was satisfied that everything was well, he slowly closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

**Balladeer: Now, don't think the story ends here, folks, but . . . well, I think that's it for now, don't you?**

THE END


End file.
